Best of You
by RogueBHS
Summary: Post Finale. Things are changing now that Apocalypse is gone. Rogue finally gets the romance she's longed for, but can that survive all of the changes (good and bad) in her life? With a chance for control, new friends and so much more, life is never going to be the same! (Rogue/Scott centric with ensemble cast. No "bashing" included!)
1. Act I, Ch 1 -Everything Changes

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Best of You

By: RogueBHS

Chapter 1, "Everything Changes"

Author Notes: THE ROGUE IS BACK! LOL. Sorry, had to do that. Its been ages since I last wrote X-men fan fic, be it comic or Evo, but I recently got my hands on some X-men Evo episodes thanks to a friend, and it definitely re-sparked my interest. This is an effort by myself and a good friend of mine who, unfortunately, doesn't have an account, much less want to get one it seems. There are OCs and Comic X-men involved in this, a few of which you're going to be going "What the hell?" over, but hey. I think outside the box, so what can I say? Hehe.

This is set after the final episodes of X-men Evolution, and will carry the X-men, their allies and their enemies for a good few years. There is no chapter-cap on this, but I will warn all that my updates run slow, as I have two other fics I post on a Harry Potter fan fic site. Though with the ideas I'm already having for this, who knows. wink

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Disclaimer: I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

Notice: Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and I will be posting a link to my own site where the lyrics will be posted. For that matter, there may be alternate versions of chapters as well. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

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Full Summary: After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

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Main Characters: The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred, Mystique), and my own unique Excalibur team...you'll find out who they are later.

X-men Mansion -

It was over. The fight for not only their lives, but the lives of every last person and mutant on earth was over. But where to go from here? Of course, given what he had seen in the mind of Apocalypse, Professor Charles Xavier had extended an invitation to the Brotherhood and Acolytes to join his X-men. Surprising thing was, all but Sabretooth accepted. Granted, the forth Acolyte, Remy LeBeau was still gone, presumably with his family in New Orleans. So now the mansion was even more packed than before, which had the original X-men on edge, namely Rogue. Given her powers, it shouldn't have come as a shock to others when she suddenly became reclusive, hiding in the room she now had to share with Wanda Maximoff, aka the Scarlet Witch. Yet for some reason, it did shock them.

Given her willingness to use her powers against Apocalypse, some had hoped that perhaps this would be the end of the sullen Goth persona they'd come to expect from Rogue, but that just wasn't to be. Instead, she was often found stretched out on her bed, a portable CD player blaring hard rock and the like, just as she was doing when Scott entered to call her to dinner.

"Rogue?" he asked, looking around the darkened room curiously, only to find her in the same spot she'd been when he came asking to borrow her Foo Fighters CD two hours ago. Sighing, he shut the door quietly behind him, listening to the bass echoing from her CD player as he walked to her bed, sitting down on the edge, waiting patiently for her to take notice of him.

"What d'ya want, Scott?" Rogue drawled, opening her dulled green eyes to look at him, hitting pause on the CD player and sliding the headphones off.

"Its time for dinner," he said simply, taking in her depressed appearance, from the dulled eyes to her wrinkled clothes and lightly smeared makeup.

"Ah ain't hungry," Rogue informed him, and started to lift the headphones to her ears again when his hand gently wrapped around her wrist, keeping her from doing so. "What?" she asked him, a mild flare of annoyance in her eyes.

"Rogue, you've barely eaten since we got back. Its not right..."

"Lahke you're that worried 'bout me Scott..." Rogue retorted, evidence of her annoyance growing as she jerked her wrist from his grasp.

Before Rogue had a chance to stop him, Scott had lifted a hand to her face, keeping the auburn and white hair between his skin and hers, but cupping her face none the less. "Rogue, don't give me that. I thought we were friends..."

"Friends, right," Rogue answered sarcastically. "Some friendship we got goin' here...You've barely talked t' meh in months, other th'n when mah powers went so crazy...now ya wanna talk?"

"Listen, I know I may not be that great of a friend, ok?" Scott asked, keeping her face in his hand. "But I do care, Rogue. If you know me at all, you should know that much."

Sighing, Rogue leaned into the contact, craving it despite herself. "Ah know, Scott," she admitted finally. "Ah'm just not inta crowds, and this place is nothin' but crowded since that whole damn mess."

Realizing the problem, Scott smiled. "If that's the big problem, then wait here. Storm didn't feel like cooking tonight, so the Professor let us order pizza..."

"He ain't big on us eattin' in our rooms ya know," she reminded, but turned off and set her CD player aside anyway.

"He'll understand this once, I think, Rogue. I'll be right back," he promised, then exited her room, leaving the Goth girl with the barest trace of a smile on her painted purple lips.

For the first time in ages, Scott took the stairs two at a time, earning him a surprised look as he dodged Bobby and Ray on the stairs. "Yo, watch it!" Ray called, laughing.

"And you tell US to slow down, Cyke!" Bobby added, surprised when the leader of the X-men only waved them off as he headed into the kitchen at a hurried pace.

"Dude," Evan said as he came up behind Bobby and Ray, "Scott's in one hell of a hurry." He glanced at the two younger mutants. "Any idea why?"

"Na," Bobby answered. "He just rushed past without explanation."

"Weird," Evan said, taking a look at Scott as the three boys entered the kitchen. Most of the others were already present, munching happily on their pizza and guzzling down soda. The fearless leader was talking to Ororo for a moment, then, with a smile, he grabbed up an unopened box from the counter.

"Thanks, Ro," he told the weather witch, grabbing a few napkins and two paper plates, setting them on the pizza box. By now, the others were watching him, wondering what the hell he was doing, but he ignored them, taking two Dr. Peppers from the fridge, then heading back up the stairs just as quickly as he had come down them.

"What on earth was that about?" Kitty asked as she pulled two slices of Veggie pizza from another box on the counter, her blue eyes focused on Storm.

"Yeah," Kurt said, frowning around his mouthful of Meat Feast pizza. "I thought ve veren't allowed to eat in our rooms?"

"Under normal circumstances, no," the white haired woman agreed, glancing out the kitchen door and to the stairs. "However, Rogue decided to not join us yet again, so Scott is simply going to eat with her in her room."

"Why on earth is the girl being so damn anti-social?" Lance asked, leaning back in his chair and nearly hitting Jamie in the process.

"Too crowded," Ororo answered easily, and taking a look around the room, she easily understood Rogue's reluctance to join them. "She fears a repeat of what happened at the concert a few months ago, I'd imagine."

Kitty gave a sad smile. "Well its not like we couldn't, like, totally clear a spot for her or something. But I mean, its so totally sweet that she'd think of not hurting us."

"Who are you talking about?" Jean asked, tossing her flame-red hair over her shoulder and scanning the room for her boyfriend. "And where's Scott?"

"He's with Rogue," Kurt answered, swallowing another bite of pizza. "She vas being anti-social again."

"That's the seventh time in four days," Jean said, surprised. "Is something wrong with her?"

"That's like, totally what I was talking about when you came in, Jean," Kitty responded, gaining the red-heads attention. "Rogue doesn't want to accidentally absorb us, and she totally hates it being so crowded down here."

"Oh," Jean answered, then sighed. "Not much we can do about that, really. Unless we staggered mealtimes or something."

Ororo glanced at Jean. "That is an idea, actually." She smiled now, earning one in return from the redhead. "A very good idea, in fact."

Rogue and Wanda's room -

"Knock, knock," Scott teased as he pushed the door open, smiling when he saw that Rogue was actually off of her bed for a change.

Rogue turned from her larger stereo system, then hid a smile as she headed to him, taking the sodas, plates and napkins from him. "So the Professah actually agreed t' this eh?" she asked, setting things out on the floor between her bed and the stereo.

"No," Scott answered, sitting the pizza down easily. "But Storm did. I just told her you didn't want to be in a crowded room right now, and she understood."

"Ah reckon she's one of th' few who might," Rogue said, slipping off her gloves. "Ya don't mind meh eattin' bare handed do ya?"

"Why would I?" Scott asked, truly curious.

"Oh come on, Summers," Rogue responded, taking a seat on the floor. "Ah'm th' gal who can kill just by touchin' ya. Remembah?"

"Yeah, and I'm the guy who can kill you by looking at you. So what?"

Curious, Rogue tilted her head even as she watched Scott take a seat fairly close to her and open up the pizza box, allowing the aroma to fill the room. "Ya honestly don' mind?"

"Rogue, if anyone understands wanting to be free of the restrictions being a mutant can bring, its me," he reminded her easily, then gave her a kind smile...the same one that had caused her initial crush on him. "Besides, I trust you."

Blushing under the layers of white make-up, Rogue averted her gaze, letting her hair fall in her face. "Don' know why ya would ta be honest...trust meh Ah mean."

"You've saved not just my life, but those of the others how many times, Rogue? And at the risk to your own sanity at that..."

Rogue sighed, finally lifting her eyes to his again. "Alright, alright, Ah give already," she teased, a glimmer of life back in the emerald eyes that were so different from those of Scott's girlfriend.

"Good, cause the pizza's getting cold!"

Picking up a slice, Rogue grinned at him. "Sure glad Ah ain't th' only one 'round heah that likes everythin' on a pizza."

Surprised to see the grin, but pleased as well, Scott returned it. "Hey, it has onion, so it keeps Kurt and Jean away from it, and it has meat, so Kitty won't touch it. That means more for us, right?"

"Got that right," Rogue agreed, taking a hearty bite from the pizza, enjoying the company almost as much as the meal.

"Ya know," Scott began, tilting his head as he swallowed a bite from his own slice. "We should do this more often."

"Ah doubt Jean'd appreciate it much..."

"She'll understand," Scott assured Rogue, sending her the kind smile yet again. "A guy's gotta spend time with his friends after all."

After eyeing him critically for a moment, Rogue nodded. "Ah think Ah'd like that...ya and me spendin' a lil time t'gethah Ah mean."

There was something in the look that Rogue gave him that had Scott half tempted to blush, as if perhaps she meant the comment in a more than friendly way. But then he shrugged off the notion as easy as it had come. _She's never hinted at a crush on me before that I've noticed...I seriously doubt she'd start now, _Scott rationalized. He just didn't realize how wrong he was on both counts.

Two hours later found Rogue and Scott lounging on the floor of the room , Punk Rock music coming through the speakers while they talked. As "My Hero" _(Foo Fighters, CD: The Colour And The Shape) _played, Scott found himself the subject of a serious once-over from Rogue, much to his surprise.

"What?" he asked, not sure he liked being eyed in such a way.

"Just thinkin'..." Rogue said evasively, then stretched out, pulling her green mesh shirt tight over the front of her figure.

Trying to keep his eyes averted from the sight, Scott gave a short laugh. "Come on, tell me..."

"Tell you what?" a voice asked from the doorway, easily identified as none other than Scott's girlfriend, Jean.

"Oh," Scott turned his gaze to Jean as she leaned in the doorway, noticing just from her posture that she wasn't happy to find him in such a casual position with another girl. "Its nothing, Jean." he said, then glanced at Rogue, only to find her own gaze averted from both of them, a frown taking over her features again.

"Ah guess Ah'll see ya 'round, right?" Rogue asked, raising dulled green eyes to him now, the defeat in her tone obvious, and had Scott wanting to seriously scold Jean for just walking in like she did.

Scott gathered up the soda bottles and what not, then reached out, touching Rogue on the shoulder. "I'll be back," he murmured, then stood, taking the trash from their meal in one arm, then grabbing Jean with the other as he left, pulling her out of the doorway. "We need to have a talk," he informed his girlfriend, ignoring the sound of Rogue closing the bedroom door, followed shortly by the sound of heavy metal coming blaring through the halls from her room.

"Scott, what's with you?" Jean asked, pulling her arm from his grasp as she followed him into the now empty kitchen, watching him curiously.

"Never, ever just walk into her room like that, ok?" Scott began as he shoved the trash into the trashcan, then tossed the two soda bottles into a recycling container.

"What?"

Sighing, Scott turned to face Jean, crossing his arms over his chest. "I had Rogue opening up a little, Jean. Then you come in unannounced and she clams up again. I don't know if you noticed, but when she realized you were there, any signs of happiness she was showing before just died."

"Oh good grief, Scott," Jean admonished, surprised that he could be so blind. "She's had a crush on you since before she even joined the X-men! Then she gets to spend some time alone with you? Of course she'd be thrilled!"

"She what?" Scott asked, his arms dropping to his sides at once. "Jean, don't kid like that. Rogue's never been anything other than friendly to me. I think I'd notice if she had a crush on me or something."

"You may think you would, but you didn't. Ask anyone here...I think even Fred knew, and that's saying something."

Unnerved by her words, Scott shook his head. "Look, you're wrong, ok? Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go see if maybe I can get her back out of this funk, alright?"

Jean gave him a look. "I don't know how smart that is, Scott. I mean, if the girl has a crush on you..."

Smirking, Scott crossed the kitchen to her, then leaned down, placing his forehead against hers. "Hey, I'm your boyfriend, right?"

"Yes..."

"Then don't go getting jealous or something on me. I know how good I've got it, thanks."

It was Jean's turn to sigh now. "I just don't want her getting false hope, Scott."

"She won't," Scott assured her, then moved away from her, taking another two Dr. Peppers from the fridge. "Anyway...I'll see you after a bit, ok?"

"Right," Jean said with a smile that only lasted as long as he was in the room, but as she watched his retreating figure she had to wonder how blind he really was. Her bright green eyes turned to the clock, noting the time. _9:30, _she mused, then glanced towards the stairs again. _I hope you know what you're doing, Scott. Because if you were to hurt her, I really don't know if she could handle it..._

Rogue and Wanda's room -

"Rogue?" Scott asked, pushing the door to the room open again after receiving no answer to his knocking. And there the girl was again, stretched out in the dark of the room, headphones on, with the bass of the music audible even at the door where he stood. With the light coming in from the hall, her eyes flicked in that direction, and when she realized who it was, the headphones slipped off at once.

"Ah thought ya were talkin' with Jean," Rogue said uncertainly, reaching over to her bedside table and flicking on a lamp, sending more light through the room. But she received to answer to her words, and instead was faced with a staring Scott Summers. The unnerving part was the fact that it was her he was staring at.

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My god, Scott thought, his eyes widening a bit behind the glasses as he took in the girl before him. Sometime while he was gone, Rogue had washed her face of the thick makeup she always wore, and brushed out her hair from whatever styling she did to it every morning. The change was more than extraordinary, for gone was "touch me and die" Goth persona, only to be replaced with a more approachable and exotically beautiful Southern belle. Her hair, which hadn't seen more than a trim or two in over a year was longer, easily reaching her shoulders, though something in the way she normally styled it kept it from seeming so long. And her face..._I have no idea why on earth she'd cover up her face like she does, _Scott realized. A pair of green eyes that were the same color as emeralds, but with a good deal more depth watched him warily, and it was then Scott noticed that her lips were moving.

"...Are ya even listenin' t' meh?" Rogue asked, raising a single eyebrow in question.

"Huh?" Scott shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Oh, sorry. The light must've surprised me or something," he fibbed, eyeing her even now.

"Right..." Rogue drawled, then sighed, sitting up. "Did ya want somethin?"

Holding up another soda, he grinned. "Just figured you might still be thirsty."

Rogue was up easily, and snatched the cool drink from him, craving the caffeine. "Ya figured right," she informed him sassily, the life back in her eyes as she smirked at him. "Didn't shake it up or nothin' did ya?"

Snapping his fingers in a 'well darn' gesture, he continued to grin at her. "Knew I forgot something," he teased.

Moving out to the balcony, Rogue opened the drink easily, taking a gulp before glancing over her shoulder at him as Scott stood in the doorway, watching her again.

"Do Ah have somethin' on meh?"

"No," Scott admitted, moving out on to the balcony with her. "Just wondering when the hell you went and grew on me." And it was true, he realized. Rogue had once been a full head shorter than him, and now...now she came up to his nose, just about...with both of them in shoes, of course.

"Ahh," Rogue said, leaning her back against the balcony railing.

"You don't seem surprised," he pointed out.

"Ah know," Rogue answered easily, then took another drink. "Hank said it was t' be expected."

"What?"

"Me changin'...Hank said it was probably gonna happen, even though technically speakin' I shouldn't since Ah'm nearly 18."

"Ok...I'm not ashamed to admit I'm pretty damn confused here...mind starting over?"

Sighing, Rogue set her drink down, turning to face him. "After th' whole thing with Apocalypse, Hank gave meh a good once ovah...And 'corrdin, t' him, though he likely didn't mean t', Apocalypse transferred a lil' of his powah to meh. So mah body is changin' again, for some reason or 'nother."

"Changing how exactly?" Scott asked, truly curious.

"Growin...height wise and otherwise," she said evasively, a light blush staining her cheeks as she gestured to what she meant, earning her a blush from Scott as well.

"Oh...I eh...I see," he said, rubbing at the back of his neck nervously at the fact she'd drawn his attention to that part of her body. He'd never really been one to ogle girls like other guys might...not that he didn't admire, but he certainly wouldn't sit around staring at their chest or backside for as long as possible. Granted, he had noticed the differences between the X-women in general bust size, rather against his will at that, as Bobby and Ray had sat around discussing it one afternoon while the teens played baseball. And now that Rogue mentioned it, she did seem larger than before. She had always been the more buxom of the women, despite her average height, but if what Hank said was true, she was likely going to be around Jean's height or so, if not taller. _Shit, she's gonna be a knockout..._he realized and could have groaned in frustration.

"Ya alright, Scott?" Rogue asked, and reached out, gently touching him on the arm in a rare gesture.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," he assured her, giving a slight smile. "I just eh...well...you know how I get about that topic..."

Rogue gave a hint of a grin. "Right...and that's why ya just spent a couple minutes starin' right at that part o' mah body..."

__

Crap... "I didn't mean to, Rogue...I just..."

Much to Scott's surprise, he found himself silenced by a gloved finger over his lips. "Ah get it, Scott. Ya don't have t' explain. Ah just wanted t' tease ya a lil."

"Right. Well...its late, so I'm gonna go," Scott said, smiling again.

"Alright," Rogue nodded, subconsciously hugging herself against a sudden breeze.

"Hey."

Rogue's eyes, which had gazed off towards the front door shot back to Scott, only to find him standing not even a foot away and she had no room to back up. "Ya shouldn't be this close...if Ah..."

"I trust you, remember?" Scott asked, then pulled her to him, hugging her despite his better judgment. "Night, Rogue..." he said simply, moving away now, and even by the time he was to the door and pulling it closed, he hadn't received a response. Glancing over his shoulder before closing the door, he gave a slight smile at the sight of Rogue, green eyes staring at him, a shimmer of moonlight spotlighting her. Scott sighed, then pulled the door to, fighting the urge to open it again and see if she was still standing where he'd left her. _I've got to quit that..._he told himself as he stepped away from Rogue's room, heading for his own. _Jean will have to wait till tomorrow...there's no way in hell I can be around a telepath right now...not with the way I was just thinking about Rogue..._

Danger Room, next morning -

"Alright," Wolverine began, his tone gruff as always. "Today's objective...take me out...first one to do so gets a surprise, courtesy of Charles. So...no holding back, kiddos. Got it?"

There was a groan at the idea of having to take on the Wolverine, but one person stayed silent, taking in the room's set up of a trashed cityscape. Then, grinning, she looked to her mentor. "Anythin' goes right?"

At that, everyone turned to Rogue in surprise. Normally she hated these sims as much as the rest of them. "That's what I said, ain't it?" Logan asked her, curious as to what she was up to.

"Jus' checkin..." she muttered, then went back to eyeing the room, obviously coming up with a plan already.

"Well then, see if you can find me," Logan said simply, then took off, a light fog hiding him after he'd gotten a certain distance away.

"Alright team, lets do this," Scott ordered, then motioned for them all to spread out, keeping Rogue with him. "Got a plan?" he asked her once they were alone, his eyes looking around from behind the visor.

"Yeah...which is why Ah'll see ya round..." Rogue said simply, then split up from him, leaving him behind.

Within half an hour, all but Rogue and Scott were taken out, and those who were out were now watching the Sim from up on the observation deck.

"Damn that girl's good," Tabby muttered, watching as Rogue perched on the upper level of a five-story building, watching as Scott battled it out with Logan. A close up camera focused on her, showing the smirk curving her lips, and the dangerous gleam in her eyes. "And she's looking for a fight, to be sure," Tabby added, earning her a murmur of agreement from the others.

"She's insane is what she is," Bobby said simply. "Thinking of taking on Wolverine by herself?"

"I'm with you dude," Toad said, staring at the screens. "The girl's beyond insane."

"Cyke's out," Logan said into the comm. unit, and everyone's eyes flicked back to the monitors showing the fight. But now Logan was standing over Scott, his claws extended. "So who's left, Chuck?"

"Rogue."

A feral grin spread over the Wolverine's lips as he moved to allow Scott to leave. "Good."

"Ya bet it is," Rogue's voice answered as she delivered a roundhouse to Logan's head from behind, catching him off guard and sending him sprawling. But before he could get up, Rogue was gone again. "Lets play..." she taunted, her voice now coming from his Comm. unit.

Surprised, but pleased, Logan nodded. "Lets..." And thus he began his hunt.

Rogue took a running leap from one rooftop to the next, landing in a roll, then coming up running again. _Gotta keep goin,_ she thought, only to find herself falling through a floor, landing on a conveniently placed girder beam. _Shit...damn thing's slippin' on meh..._"FUCK!" she yelled as the beam fell. _Still close to the buildin' girl...come on... _ Using a ledge, she changed direction, and instead of going for a window, headed for a flagpole sticking horizontally from the building. _Thank god Irene had meh in Gymnastics f'r so damn long..._Rogue thought, taking a dangerous jump from the pole, sending her flying towards a building over ten feet away. It was then she noticed the shadowed figure in the window she'd almost gone into a few moments before. _Good thing Ah didn't or this'd be ovah right quick._

There was a crash of wood and glass, then Rogue's feet hit solid ground again, and she took off, thankful for the fact her muscles were so well toned. Another running leap had her sliding down an elevator shaft by the cables, tearing up the sheet she'd snatched from something upstairs. _Damn Ah hate doin' that..._she thought, then jumped down to the floor, landing in a crouch.

Up above, the other X-men were watching in complete shock. Never had Rogue pulled something like this before in a sim. And with good reason...it might as well be suicide given the fact she didn't have a power to fall back on to save her other than her absorption. But something had changed her since Apocalypse...something that had her taking risks she wouldn't otherwise.

Logan watched her with keen interest, glad to see she was finally using her training to its fullest. He had always pushed her harder than anyone else, knowing she not only needed it, but could do it as well. A point she was definitely proving well. When she began to move again, he decided that no matter how good she was, it was time to end this session. Before he could move, Logan heard something headed for him, and turned, slashing at whatever it was with his claws, only to realize far too late it was a bag of pepper. His nose and eyes were overrun with it, keeping him from seeing her or being able to smell her. _Smart girl, _he thought, a dry grin forming. _Damn this shit hurts. Wish my healing factor would kick in faster than this._

While he waited, the others watched Rogue set up a mannequin she'd found in what was supposed to be an abandoned store on a skateboard, then send it straight for him. With his hearing still working fine, Logan managed to slash the mannequin just before it got to him, only to find his arms wrapped tightly in leather straps. As his vision and sense of smell cleared, he found Rogue standing there smirking at him, just before she kicked at a rope, causing him to be pulled a few feet into the air. Another kick had two spears in her hands, and while the smirk turned into a grin, she walked over to him casually, then placed one spear under his chin, the other pointing towards his heart.

"Smart move, Rogue," he told her, a grin forming on his lips as well. "There's just one problem."

She only raised an eyebrow in question, but he had a feeling she knew what he was going to say anyway.

"I can still get loose."

"Ah reckon ya could at that," Rogue admitted. "But ya see...as tough as ya are, what with your skeleton and claws bein' adamantium laced an' all, not t' mention your healin' factor, Ah'm willin' t' bet there's one thing even ya couldn't live through..."

"And just what's that, Stripes?"

"Ya wanna drop, be mah guest. We'll see how well your healing factor c'n cope with a blade through the heart an' another straight int' your brain..."

"Not t'day kid," Logan said, then cut himself loose, and snapping the blades from the spears in the process. But before he landed, Rogue had grabbed the bladed parts again, and had them ready to use, just as Logan landed, his claws still extended. "Now assumin' we do this at the same time, you still loose. My healin' factor means I live even if you do make a decent cut."

"Maybe," Rogue conceded with a smirk. "But with mah power that means Ah heal an' you don't. Thing is...one o' us is bluffin right now...th' other is 'bout t' die. And right now...Ah'm thinkin' a gal named Rogue shouldn't evah play by ordinary rules...So lets find out!"

"Lets not," Logan stated simply, rubbing at his wrists as he stood up straighter. "I'm beginnin' t' understand why ya call yerself Rogue...certainly fits," he muttered dryly.

Rogue grinned again, putting a hand on her hip. "Ah'll be takin' that as a compliment under th' circumstances."

Before she could say anything more, the sound of the others joining them drew her attention, especially when her adopted brother ported himself right in front of her.

"You vere terrific!" Kurt exclaimed, giving Rogue a hug, much to her surprise. "Taking down ze Wolverine! And ze acrobatics! I don't zink I could do better!"

Rogue gave a shaky laugh, becoming more and more uncomfortable as people pressed in, wanting to tell her how impressed they were by her performance. "Ah...Uh...Ah gotta go!" she said, then turned, pushing her way out of the danger room, and bursting into a full run, not stopping until she reached the main floor. Upon entering the living room, Rogue sank to the floor, burying her face in her hands. "Gawd...how in th' hell am Ah supposed t' get through this?" she asked herself aloud, not noticing the presence making its way towards her.

"That was one hell of a session you did, Rogue," a kind voice told her, followed by the feel of an arm resting against hers as the person sat down beside her.

Slowly, Rogue lifted her gaze to look at Scott. "Sorry for boltin' like that..."

"Hey, don't apologize," Scott told her, giving a small smile. "You need your space, and they should respect that."

"Stripes?" Logan asked, sniffing at the air even as he entered the room. "Ya alright?"

"Ah...Ah guess," Rogue admitted after a moment. "Jus' freaked when they all got so close..."

"I figured as much. But wanted t' check on ya anyway." Logan gave the girl a mildly concerned look. "Charles said ya can meet him in his office later. He wants ya t' relax some though...calm down and what not."

"Alright," Rogue said, lowering her head again so her hair fell in her face. "Tell th' othahs Ah'm sorry, won't ya?" she asked, then pushed up from the floor, not waiting for an answer. "An' if they wanna tell meh how much they liked mah kickin' Logan's butt, they c'n do it one at a time or somethin' later."

"Will do," Scott told her, watching as she left, likely heading for her room. When he was certain she was out of earshot, he looked up to Logan. "There's gotta be something that can snap her out of this..."

Logan gave a quick nod of agreement. "Kid's just recoverin', One-eye. Give 'er a few more days."

Sighing, Scott stood. "Alright. But if she doesn't come down to eat with us soon..."

"Don' worry...Chuck ain't gonna let 'er hole up any more. Told me this mornin. She gets a few hours now, but that's th' end of it."

"Right..." Scott muttered, watching as Logan stalked off. Rogue wouldn't take kindly to being pushed into being social, but if Storm's suggestion of them staggering mealtimes again worked out..._Like that'll make a difference_, Scott reminded himself. _This is Rogue we're talking about...she hates being pushed period. _Sighing again, he turned back towards the elevator, planning on using the showers in the gym's changing room. _I just hope she doesn't bolt or something._

****

A/N: Ok...that'll do for an opening chapter I think. So...Have I lost my touch or kept it? LOL. Read and review please!


	2. Act I, Ch 2 -Against All Odds

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Chapter 2, "Against All Odds"**_

**Author Notes: **Wow...over 5 reviews within 24 hours of me posting the first chapter. Reminds me of why I grew to enjoy X-men Evo fic writing so much. LOL. Granted I went and spoiled that when I got into HP thanks to my niece, but oh well. I'm back, and enjoying the hell outta it. Sorry about the delay too. My PC messed up, and I lost the entire chapter. ARGH. Been having to rewrite this and make sure it still flows. Thanks to those who did review, and on with the chapter we go!

ALTERNATE CHAPTER W/ LYRICS POSTED AT: groups. I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me! Any other OCs will be addressed as the enter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and I will be posting a link to my own site where the lyrics will be posted. For that matter, there may be alternate versions of chapters as well. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred, Mystique), and my own unique Excalibur team...you'll find out who they are later.

**X-men Mansion -**

Sunlight shimmered through crystal clear windows, illuminating all within the room the mutant known as Rogue now shared with a girl who's outlook on life was likely as dark as her own. But rather than being curled on her bed as she'd been for the past few days, Rogue sat in front of the lone PC in the room, typing away like mad. The PC was a media center of sorts, a gift from her adopted mother, Mystique. Well, a bribe was more likely the proper term, but that didn't matter to Rogue at the moment. Instead, she entered a few more commands into an open program, then after checking the microphone she'd set up, the soft strains of her acoustic guitar filled the room and drifted into the hallways of the second floor of the mansion.

A few heard the sound, entranced at first, but soon found themselves dismissing it from thought. Likely someone was just listening to some acoustic music, they reasoned, completely unaware of the transformation this music was making in a teammate.

Rogue had always been drawn to music of almost any kind, but being a Southern girl, she had grown up with Country, Bluegrass and just straight Blues, all of which were a part of her. Almost as much as Rock had become in the year or so before her powers manifested. It didn't even matter if it was Acid, Punk or even Classic Rock, despite the image she gave the others. Just so long as she could feel it in her soul, she enjoyed it. Lyrics were at the core of her love of music, and after much pushing from Irene, Rogue had begun to write her own lyrics for songs. It wasn't until her time here at the institute that she had really begun to add background music to them, but then again, it wasn't until her arrival in Bayville that she'd begun to write such dark or depressing material either. Sighing, she strummed her fingers over the guitar strings again, finding the right note for the song to start on, then, on instinct, her fingers began to dance.

This time the music was firmer, more alive as Rogue let herself just play what came to her mind. The sound was rather like a song she'd heard Scott listening to, as the beat and tone fit her lyrics, but the words she sang in her own mind were completely different. _(Evanescence, "Forever Gone, Forever You", Unreleased) _

Those were the words she sang to herself, and she hated the truth in them, hated how they were a perfect representation of how her relationship with her former crush had changed from the day they met to now. But at the same time, it was release. It was a way to keep the feelings from taking over...and now, that was more crucial than ever. After all this crap with Apocalypse, it was as if her body wasn't her own...her thoughts weren't her own. And if she couldn't be herself, Rogue had always thought, she was better off dead.

**Xavier's Office, around 9 AM -**

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Charles Xavier."

"Ah...the Professor. How can I help you?"

"Its not me that needs your help, its one of my students. One who you know quite well..."

"Rogue."

"Yes. Do you think you can come to the institute?"

"Open invitation, eh?"

"Erik is here as well, you know. He was the one who suggested you."

"I'll be there soon," the man on the other line said simply, then hung up.

As he set the phone back into the cradle, Xavier prayed that he hadn't made a wrong choice in calling the man. But despite pretenses, Rogue wasn't recovering nearly as easily from the fight with Apocalypse as the others. _Desperate times call for desperate measures_, Xavier reminded himself. _And if what Logan and Erik tell me is true, then he may well be the only one who can bring her out of this funk._

Turning his wheelchair towards the massive windows behind him, Xavier looked out over his estate.

"You made the right choice, Charles."

Lifting his blue eyes to look at the reflection of his old friend in the glass windows, Xavier sighed. "I hope so, Erik. I hope so. Otherwise we may loose her."

"There is always that chance, Charles. The girl is spirited. She won't take kindly to being pushed, as Raven has proven time and time again."

"Am I pushing her?"

"No." Came the definite answer from a third voice, this one female. Then a hand came to rest on Xavier's shoulder. "You're giving her an outlet for her emotion, Charles. Someone who can keep up with her."

Xavier's paler hand reached up, patting absently at the much darker one of Ororo Munroe, even as he cracked a smile for the first time that morning. "Of course." Turning away from the window now, he gazed at two of his oldest friends. "On to other business, hmm?"

**Rogue and Wanda's Room, after lunch -**

"Rogue?"

"What d'ya want, Kit?" Rogue answered, not bothering to get up an answer the door. _Its not like the girl has to use silly things like doors anyway, _Rogue rationalized. _If she wants in, she'll get in._

Out in the hallway, Kitty paused, hearing the tell tale sounds of a computer shutting down. _She actually uses that thing? _the prep thought, surprised. _I figured with it being a gift from Mystique and all, she'd ignore it like the plague. Oh well, _Kitty decided with a shrug_. So long as she's up and around. _And with that, Kitty phased through the door, taking Rogue's words as an invitation in. Blue eyes looked towards the computer first, and upon seeing no one in the desk chair, moved around the room, finally spotting Rogue near the windows. _Sheesh, she moves fast._

"I was wondering if you, like, wanted to watch a movie or something," Kitty began, taking a few more steps into the room when Rogue made no move to acknowledge her again. "We totally never spend any time together anymore, ya know? So I like, thought it'd be cool if we could..."

Rogue turned, looking at the girl who was likely her closest female friend in the entire mansion, then sighed. If Xavier got wind of her turning down offers to socialize, she'd be stuck in his office for hours again, being psycho-analyzed or something, one of Rogue's most dreaded occurrences. With the closest thing to a smile she could manage, Rogue nodded. "Why not?" she asked rhetorically, pushing away from the windows and checking her gloves compulsively. "Jus' don't go pickin' some chick flick on meh, ya hear?" Rogue half teased, surprising and delighting her former roommate.

Glad that Rogue had accepted, Kitty bounced on the balls of her feet. "We can, like, watch whatever you want!" Kitty told Rogue, then rethought the comment. "OK, like anything but a horror movie, but you probably guessed that."

Rogue nodded. "Yeah, Ah did kinda guess that." She thought over the mansion's varied movie collection, even as she pulled her bedroom door shut behind her and headed for the stairs. "Ah'd say action, but then any of th' guys who walk by would wanna join in."

"You, like, totally wouldn't mind if it was Remy, though," Kitty teased, blue eyes glancing to Rogue.

"WHAT!" Rogue asked, stopping so suddenly she nearly stumbled down a few steps. When she had regained her balance, she looked at Kitty again. "Please tell meh ya didn't say that!"

"What?" Kitty asked innocently. "Don't tell me you, like, aren't totally crushing on him! Because its so completely obvious."

Rogue rolled her eyes, starting down the stairs again. And knowing that Kitty wouldn't drop it until she admitted something about her feelings for the Cajun Acolyte, Rogue gave in without a fight this time. "Look, Ah admit th' guy is pretty damn hot an' all," she muttered to try and keep others from overhearing if they were nearby. "But he's too much of a...a...ladies man for mah tastes, thanks," Rogue finished once she found the title she was looking for to fit Remy.

Kitty laughed. "Girl, don't bother lying to me. I mean, he kidnapped you and took you to New Orleans! Kurt told me you and Remy seemed pretty cozy when they finally found you to bring you home, you know."

"Remind meh t' strangle mah brother later," Rogue muttered, then dragged Kitty into the Rec Room before saying anything further. "Look Kit, Ah appreciate ya tryin' to play matchmaker and all, really, 'cause Ah know ya mean well, but just leave things be. Remy an' Ah are friends. 'Sides, the Cajun is still in good ole' N'Awlins, remember? So its not likely he'd be walkin' by th' room out o' th' blue to join us."

"Stranger things have happened since we joined the X-men you know," Kitty said simply, then walked to the video rack, glancing at Rogue. "Anyway, figure out a movie?"

"How 'bout Practical Magic?" Rogue asked, knowing that Kitty was a huge Nicole Kidman fan, and the movie had enough darkness to it to suit her own tastes, really. So it was one movie the two otherwise completely opposite girls could agree on.

"Oh! I so love that movie!" Kitty exclaimed, grabbing the movie from the shelf, then glanced at her friend. "Want popcorn?"

"Ah'll take care of that, Kit, while ya get the movie set up. And ya want a Diet Sprite too, raght?" Rogue asked, moving towards the doorway that lead to the kitchen.

"Yep," Kitty confirmed, flashing a smile as she popped the DVD into the player. "Thanks."

Already enjoying the idea of spending some time with a friend again, Rogue gave a hint of a smile. "Not a prob, KitKat," she said simply, then headed into the kitchen for the popcorn and drinks.

Rooting through the cupboards for popcorn, Rogue sighed and stretched higher. _Ah coulda sworn that th' damn popcorn was on this shelf... _she mused, frowning. _If th' damn boys ate it all, there's gonna be hell t' pay... _she thought just as the sound of the door from the garage opening had her stumbling back into the kitchen island in surprise. Turning, her grey-green eyes focused on the figure entering. _Mr. Logan_, she realized with relief, then took in the grocery bags in his arms. Ororo Munroe was right behind him, also carrying bags, and when one started to slip, Rogue dodged around the counter, catching the bag just as it left Ororo's arms.

"Oh my!" Ororo said in surprise, bright blue eyes widening, then a smile graced her features when she realized Rogue had caught the bag. "Thank you, Rogue. I was sure we'd have a mess to be cleaning up before the groceries ever made it into the fridge."

"Not a problem," Rogue responded, setting the bag carefully on the counter. "Don't suppose ya'll got some popcorn while ya were out did ya?" Rogue asked even as she started pulling things from the bag she'd saved from falling and putting them into the refrigerator.

Logan set a big box of popcorn onto the counter in response, smirking all the while. "Guess I just saved Bobby and Ray from certain disaster, eh Stripes?" he asked gruffly, thankful that it was Rogue who'd be in the kitchen. She was one student who didn't have to be told to help put things away when the adults brought in groceries.

"Ya got that right," Rogue responded, tearing the box open and then sliding a package of the popcorn into the microwave. Once the popcorn was started, she put the box back where they normally kept it, picking up a bag of Chips Ahoy cookies with the other hand and shoving them onto the shelf too. "Anythin' else?" she asked, glancing at Ororo.

"No, but thank you, Rogue. I assume you and someone else are watching a movie then?" Storm asked, even as she slid two new Fridge-packs of sodas into the refrigerator.

"Yeah. Kit asked meh."

"Well that was nice of her," Ororo responded with another smile before reaching out and touching Rogue's shoulder. "I'm glad to see you out and about the house, you know."

Rogue blushed lightly under her layers of make-up, and ducked her head. "Yeah, well...she's 'bout th' best friend Ah've got these days, so Ah figured why not?"

"Sounds like good reasonin' t' me," Logan said with another smirk, this time affectionately ruffling Rogue's hair in a rare gesture. "Now get goin' b'fore Half-pint thinks yer missin," he teased as the microwave buzzed, letting all three know the bag of popcorn was done.

"Aye, aye, captain," Rogue joked back, surprising her mentor, then took a can of Diet Sprite from the fridge for Kitty, and a Dr. Pepper for herself before removing the popcorn from the microwave. Dumping the bag's contents into two bowls, she glanced at Logan and Ororo briefly before leaving the room. "Thanks for gettin' th' popcorn," she said simply, then headed back to the Rec Room.

Behind her, Ororo's blue eyes shifted to Logan. "Perhaps the call the Professor made this morning wasn't needed after all."

"Na," Logan said without pause. "Th' kid's gotta have somethin' t' keep her mind off o' things, and there's only one person who c'n do that for 'er right now."

"I suppose that's true," Ororo conceded, taking a bottle of water from the fridge for herself. "The poor girl's seen enough strife lately to last a lifetime."

Sighing, Logan leaned into a counter. "She's a tough one, Ro."

"No one is that tough, Logan." The weather goddess pinned him with a serious look. "Not even you."

"Touché, Ro," Logan muttered. "Touché"

**Dinner, later that night - **

"Has anyone seen Rogue?"

Scott raised his shaded eyes to meet Kitty's, frowning. "I know I haven't. Wasn't she with you earlier? Watching a video or something?"

"Like, yeah," Kitty responded. "But she totally ditched me after the movie was over...just said something about, like, having to finish something up."

"Logan," the Professor began, only to be interrupted by a Southern voice at the doorway to the dining room.

"Sorry Ah'm late...lost track o' time workin' on somethin',' Rogue muttered almost shyly as she slipped into her seat between Kurt and Logan at the table.

"Like, what was so important you had to totally ditch me the second the movie finished?" Kitty asked, definitely feeling hurt over the fact.

Rogue's head lowered a little, causing her bangs to fall in her face. "Sorry 'bout that Kit...Ah'm kinda workin' on a eh...surprise, ya might say, and Ah had a hell of an idea that Ah had t' jot down 'fore Ah forgot it."

Kitty's head tilted in curiosity. "Surprise? What kind of surprise?"

"Can't say or it won't be a surprise, now will it?" Rogue asked, lifting her head now, meeting Kitty's sapphire blue eyes dead on.

"Aww, come on, Roguey," Evan teased from further down the table by his aunt, "Ya know ya wanna tell us."

"Call meh that again, Porcupine, an' ya won't live t' see th' surprise."

"What's wrong with that nickname?" Scott asked, a slight smirk on his lips as he looked across Kurt at Rogue. "You have one for everyone else, you know...Roguey..."

Rogue glared at both of them. "Shuddup 'fore Ah make ya two..."

Jean bit back a laugh, but not in time, earning her part of the glare too. "Oh come on, Rogue," Jean began, smiling. "He does have a point."

"What is this? Pick on Rogue naght?" Rogue asked, crossing her arms over her still bare plate.

"Come now," the Professor interrupted, earning him a sheepish look from Jean, Scott and Evan. "Let Rogue have her surprise. Besides, your dinner is getting cold," he reminded them.

"Ja," Kurt muttered through a mouthful of mashed potatoes. "And its very good too!" he added after swallowing.

Ororo smiled at the compliment, as she had opted to cook tonight. "Thank you, Kurt...both for the compliment, and remembering to swallow before speaking."

The last bit was a reminder of how his manners had been at first when he came to the institute, and Kurt flushed lightly, glad that it was only the main team together right now, since the eating times had been staggered. It had been set up so that the Brotherhood and Acolytes ate together, the original X-men ate together, then the New Mutants ate together, with only Hank for supervision.

Only one night into the new eating arrangement Hank was quoted as saying, "I knew I should have reordered the animal tranquilizers."

**Kitchen - after dinner, same night -**

The door between the kitchen and dining room swung open, admitting Jean into the kitchen with a stack of dishes and glasses that, were she not a telekinetic, would have toppled over long ago.

"Where do you want these, Rogue?" she asked, green eyes shifting to the sink where her teammate was, up to her elbows in soapy water.

Rogue glanced over from the silverware she was washing, then lifted one hand to point to the counter to her left, even as she finished a few pieces of the silverware and handed them to Kitty who was assigned to Kitchen duty with her tonight. "Thanks, Jean," she said in a kinder tone than she sometimes used with the red-head. "Would've taken Kit an' Ah forevah t' carry all that in heah."

"Not a problem," Jean assured Rogue as she lowered the dishes to the counter and readjusted the pile so it wouldn't fall over without her telekinetic hold. "Kitty said she wanted to ask me about some party anyway."

"Oh, like, right!" Kitty said, reminded of her reason for asking Jean to hang back for a bit. "I heard there's supposed to be a totally awesome party happening this weekend at some senior's house...well, like, he used to be a senior anyway. Its not Duncan is it?" Kitty asked, drying off more silverware as it was placed in front of her.

Jean leaned into a counter and frowned in thought. "No...I think its Scott's friend Paul, actually."

Rogue glanced up from the plates she'd just dunked into the water. "That guy's actually throwin' a party?"

"Oh, you know him?" Jean asked, surprised.

"Sorta. He was in literature with Scott an' Ah, an' he was supposed t' be on that Geology field trip." A frown flitted across Rogue's features as she remembered those days, the few she'd been a member of the Brotherhood, then disappeared. "Nevah said much t' meh or nothin, just know of 'im really."

Kitty and Jean shared a look, having noticed Rogue's frown, then Kitty had what she thought was an absolutely brilliant idea. "Hey, how about we all go to the party? I mean, like the five of us originals?" Her blue eyes lit up and she looked at Jean. "You, Scott, Kurt, Rogue and me...that'd be so totally awesome!"

"Count meh out," Rogue said firmly as she passed two plates to Kitty for drying. "Ah ain't a partier an' ya know it Kitty."

"Awww...come on, Rogue!" Kitty begged, turning blue eyes to her Goth friend. "It wouldn't be the same without you."

"Yer right," Rogue muttered. "It'd be better if I wasn't there."

This time when the two preps shared a look over Rogue's head, the Goth girl caught it, and frowned at them. "Look, Ah know yer tryin' t' be nahce an' get me outta th' house, but Ah jus' ain't interested, alright?"

And while the three teen girls began to argue, they were completely oblivious to Scott passing through on his way into the living area. Sighing, the so-called "fearless leader" reached up, pinching at the bridge of his nose. _Let them handle it, _he decided after a moment. _Jean's mature enough to know when to drop the point, and Rogue knows better than to start a real fight in the house, after all, _his logical side pointed out. Granted, it didn't take much convincing. The latter part of dinner had given him a headache, as Kitty had started chatting incessantly about the lack of parties lately, despite it being summer vacation. _Exactly! _Scott had wanted to say. _Most people are out of town with their families and doing things normal people do._

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he nearly missed the doorbell ringing, and likely would have if not for the way the higher-pitched bell sound made his headache worse. To Scott's misfortune, whomever was at the door didn't realize they didn't need to keep ringing the bell, and so the sound was present the entire time he headed for the door. "Alright already!" he shouted once closer to the door, and the sound blissfully faded after one last ring. "Jeez..." Scott muttered, then came up short just as he went to open the door. _No...no damn way...Aww shit, _Scott mentally whined when the teen on the other side of the door waved cheekily, obviously having realized Scott's disbelief. _It had to be that asshole, didn't it? _he wondered, even as he finally stepped forward and reluctantly pulled the glass door open.

"Took ya long 'nough, homme," Gambit drawled in his trademark way, smirking all the while and infuriating Scott at the same time. "Gambit t'ought ya was gonna let 'im wait out 'ere all night."

"Don't tempt me," Scott muttered, then frowned at the Cajun. "What are you doing here anyway?" he asked, blocking the way into the house.

"Got an open invite dis mornin' from your Professor X. Was in de area anyway on eh...business, figured I'd go 'head and drop in," Gambit said flippantly, then his red on black eyes scanned the area behind Scott. "Musta picked de wrong time, t'ough, seems like dis place be dead or somet'ing."

"Dinner just wrapped up," Scott admitted, taking on a more relaxed pose, trying not to let the idea of Xavier giving this guy an 'open invite' get to him. "Most people are in the rec room or off on their own."

"Ahh..." Those eyes looked around again, no...searched, Scott realized. The Cajun was searching for something...or someone, more likely.

"She's busy," Scott said almost forcefully, drawing Gambit's attention back to him abruptly.

"Who?" Gambit asked, masking his surprise at being found out so easily.

"You know who," Scott answered. "There's only one reason I can think of that you'd be willing to drop by here, open invite or no, and she's it." There was a warning in his tone and posture when he added, "Don't think any of us missed the way you acted towards her in New Orleans..."

"Speakin' o' which," Gambit started, seeming unperturbed at being kept outside for now, "Been meanin' t' apologize t' her...an' you all..." he added after a moment, "'bout dat whole mess. Wanted t' help de femme, and knew she could help Gambit at de same time...t'ought it'd be a win-win situation." He met Scott's eyes as best he could. "Not ashamed t' admit dat I t'ought wrong."

Surprised, Scott took a step back at the apology. What was this guy playing at? Or was he for real? His earlier thought of slamming the door in the Cajun's face ebbed, and thoughts of Rogue's possible reactions to him sending the Cajun packing before she even saw him ran through his head. And, though he hated it, he knew she'd be angry at him for doing such a thing.

'_As would I,' _the Professor told him telepathically. '_Now let him in Scott, Erik and I are heading down to greet him.'_

'_Yes sir,' _Scott thought back, and stepped aside. "Come in, I guess," he told Gambit. "The Professor is on his way down."

"Merci," Gambit said easily, stepping into the mansion, a duffel bag that had previously been hidden became viewable as the Cajun turned his back on Scott to really look at the entryway of the home. "Mon Dieu, some place your Professor has 'ere."

But before Scott could answer, Kitty and Jean entered from the kitchen, both still talking about the party.

"Aww come on, girl, you totally need a social life!" Kitty said, glancing over her shoulder at someone still in the kitchen.

Jean started to turn to address the person as well, but then her green eyes fell on the Cajun who was grinning at her and Kitty. "Oh..." she murmured, too surprised to say anything else.

Kitty had been expecting Jean's backing, and she too turned, then she too saw Gambit. That was all it took for her to let out an excited little giggle and look back towards the kitchen expectantly.

Noticing this, both Scott and Gambit's eyes turned to the door as well, just as Rogue walked out, putting a hand on her hip in exasperation, having not seen who else was in the entryway yet.

"Now jus' what in th' hell has ya two so surprised, eh?" Rogue drawled, allowing her grey-green eyes to finally turn to the doorway.

For one beat, then two, there was no movement or sound from any of the five present. Then, Rogue's eyes lit up, showing more green than grey in less than a second. A corner of her lip quirked, and her hand fell from her hip, all in the next half a second. It was then that the three original teen X-men found themselves surprised again, as Rogue let out a very un-Rogue like sound of relief and excitement, only to take a running leap at the Cajun Acolyte. Gambit, amused by her antics, if not a little surprised himself, caught her in his arms, hoisting her up into a very energetic hug.

Rogue's excited noise had caught the attention of those in the Rec room, bringing them into the entryway just as the hug occurred, and it brought Logan running in from the garage, wondering what on earth could get the Goth girl so hyped up. Not even a moment later, Xavier and Magneto entered from another hall that led to Xavier's office. But neither Rogue nor Gambit seemed to care, and it definitely seemed as if the Cajun didn't want to let Rogue go after a greeting like that. Finally, after a few more moments, they did release their hold, but Rogue didn't move away, as if afraid he'd disappear if she did. And it was only then that Rogue noticed the crowd that had gathered, making her avert her gaze in a gesture of shyness and disbelief at her own behavior.

Scott couldn't tear his eyes away from her, effectively ignoring all else as his thoughts running rampant at what her greeting the guy like that could mean. The others wondered similar thoughts for the most part, but their curiosity as to why on earth Gambit had arrived in the first place soon overcame all else.

"Well, looks like ya finally decided t' join us 'gain, eh mate?" St. John, better known as Pyro asked his former teammate, a wide grin on his face as he approached Gambit.

"Was in de area," Gambit admitted, this time leaving out the personal invite from the professor. "Heard 'bout all de fuss lately and figured be in Gambit's best interest t' make sure ya was all in one piece still."

"'Course we're in one piece, mate. Take more than what that bloke threw at us t' keep us all down. And yer still talkin' in th' third person too," Pyro said with a laugh, then gave the Cajun a hearty handshake.

"Dere a problem wit' dat?"

"Course not, mate," Pyro assured him even as Piotr moved forward towards the two. "Just find it bloody hilarious is all."

"It is good to see you, Gambit," Piotr said as he finally was closer, a slight smile on his normally stoic features. "I vas beginning to think you had..." he paused momentarily, searching for the right word, "abandoned us," he finally finished, a large hand clapping Gambit on the shoulder.

Somehow the Cajun managed to not buckle under the strength of his huge friend, while the X-men and New Mutants in particular wondered how on earth the three Acolytes had managed to communicate at all with their very different accents. Towards the back of the crowd from the Rec Room, Bobby leaned towards Roberto. "Dude, ole' bucket head knows how to pick 'em, huh? I mean, an Australian, a Russian and a Cajun? How different can you get?"

Roberto squashed back a laugh, bit smirked as he nodded in agreement, his eyes still on the trio.

"Good t' see you too, Piotr," Gambit assured his friend, giving a grin, even as he pulled Rogue closer when she tried to move away, having taken notice of the way Logan was growling under his breath at the Cajun.

"Alright everyone," Xavier began, moving forward in his chair, "I know you're all curious about Mr. LeBeau's arrival, but you can talk to him in the morning." He glanced at the senior team, then singled out a few. "Rogue, Scott, Jean...I want you three to lead him to my office, the other adults and myself will join you there momentarily."

"All three of us?" Scott asked, wanting to get away from the Cajun as soon as he could.

"Yes, all three of you."

Sighing, Scott nodded. "Yes sir."

Jean smiled at Gambit as she came forward, her hand touching his shoulder as she guided him towards the office, earning a frown from her boyfriend and Rogue both. "This way," she said easily.

"Merci...Jean, right?"

"That's right," Jean answered, surprised.

"Hard t' f'rget de name o' a belle femme like y'self," he said flirtatiously, ignoring the light growl from Scott who was walking with Rogue behind the pair.

"Pardon?" Jean asked, confused. "I don't speak French, I'm sorry..."

"Pity," Gambit murmured, then glanced at Rogue over his shoulder, winking at her as if there was some kind of private joke over Jean not knowing French. Which there was, one that began in New Orleans at that. "Called y' a beautiful woman," Gambit explained to Jean then, catching a slight grin on Rogue's lips even as his eyes were on the red-head next to him.

"Oh," Jean said almost shyly, then stopped at a door and opened it. "Here we are...the Professor's office..."

Gambit entered, his thieving instincts noticing the fine quality of the furnishings and decor at once. Most of the things in the office would turn a pretty penny if sold to the proper bidder, especially since he knew they'd likely been taken excellent care of. But he wasn't here to steal, he reminded himself, stealing a glance at Rogue, even as he sat down in a chair in front of the massive desk Xavier used. _'M here for de fille, not for anyt'ing else..._He thought, then glanced askance to Jean and Scott, who were seated on a small sofa to his right. Remembering Scott's reaction to the flirting he'd done with Jean moments ago, Gambit couldn't help but grin. _Den again, be fun t' rile up m'sieu Summers a bit. An' obviously no better way t' do dat den t' flirt wit' his girl, eh? _But before his thoughts on how to annoy Scott could continue, the door to the office opened again, admitting Xavier, Magneto, Logan, Hank and Ororo.

"I apologize for making you wait," Xavier said easily, though he gave no reason for doing so. "Now then..."

"Gambit has one question 'fore ya say anyt'ing, if ya don' mind Professor," Gambit cleanly interjected, stopping Xavier before he could go into any kind of "welcome" speech.

"Of course, go ahead."

"You expectin' me t' join up wit' de X-men since 'm here an' all?"

Xavier steepled his fingers, an old habit of his, and considered the young man in front of him for a moment before answering, a slight smile forming before disappearing just as quickly as it came. "Its not required, no. Your skills as a fighter would be a great asset to the team, I admit, but if you would rather not, then that is your choice. Just as it is the choice of the Brotherhood and your fellow teammates as to whether they join or not."

"De others, dey decided?" Gambit asked, looking to Magneto this time.

"I believe Piotr plans to stay," Magneto admitted, "but St. John? He's given no clue as to his decision."

Gambit considered for a minute. "I'll keep dat in mind, Professor. Now den...ya was gonna say?"

After a nod to show he understood Gambit's position, Xavier gave a slight smile. "I was going to tell you the very thing you asked about, actually. But moving past that...I have to confess that at the moment, we're rather low on rooms. Nearly everyone in this house, myself and the other adults aside, is rooming with someone else. As it stands, there's only one student who still rooms alone."

Gambit's eyes flicked to Rogue in curiosity, wondering if she'd kept a room to herself due to her mutation or not, only to be corrected by a brief shake of her head, indicating she wasn't who Xavier was talking about.

"Scott..."

Scott, who had seen this coming only as soon as Xavier mentioned the rooming situation to begin with, groaned. There would be no getting out of this, he mused. Gambit, however, was amused. This would make his plans to infuriate the "leader" of the X-men all that much easier.

"The arrangement would be temporary, of course," Xavier continued, knowing there was no way the two could stay roomies for long without fights breaking out. "With any luck, we'll have a few extra rooms prepared within a week."

"Extra rooms?" Gambit asked.

"There were 12 additional rooms added, aside from what was absolutely required, when the mansion was rebuilt not too long ago, but they were never outfitted for actual use, as I didn't foresee the need. Logan, Ororo and Mystique have been working on the rooms gradually over the past few weeks, and now its simply a matter of furnishing them. Of course, 12 identical full sets of bedroom furniture, plus a few extra matching bed frames aren't things normally kept in stock at a store, so we're waiting for them to be delivered. When I last checked on the shipment, it was due in sometime this coming week," Xavier explained. "Of course, anyone who chooses to stay here indefinitely will be able to customize their room as they wish, like my students have already. The other rooms will stay open as guestrooms."

Gambit nodded slowly, taking that in. "Gambit t'inks he c'n stand roomin' wit' someone f'r a bit..." He glanced at Scott, almost daring him to protest them rooming together. "Provided M'sieu Summers don' mind."

Scott looked back at Gambit in a nearly defiant way, then looked to the adults. "If he starts blowing stuff up or anything of the kind, don't be surprised to find him sleeping in the living room," Scott muttered, his words the closest thing to outright defiance he'd allow. "But until then, I don't have a problem."

Logan gave a smirk when Scott said what he did. "If Gumbo there starts blowing stuff up, he's gonna find himself sleeping in the Danger Room in between sessions."

Xavier hid a smile and looked at Logan. "I think we'll cross that bridge should we get to it, Logan. Now then...Scott, go ahead and show Mr. LeBeau where he'll be staying. Jean, you're excused as well." He turned his eyes to Rogue. "If you would stay behind a moment, Rogue, I would like to talk to you."

Scott stood, glancing to the Professor for only a moment, wondering what there was that he might need to talk to Rogue about. A hand on his arm had him glancing to his right and he gave a slight smile to Jean before finally turning his attention back to his new roommate. "Come on," he said, making a motion for Gambit to follow him. The Cajun did, but not before smiling at Rogue.

"See ya 'round, cherie," Remy told her with a wink, then exited behind Scott.

Jean followed the pair out, striking up another conversation with Remy in the process, and all the while wondering why this guy was really here. It wasn't long before the other adults excused themselves as well, finally leaving Rogue alone in the office with Xavier.

"Is somethin' wrong Professor?" Rogue asked a few moments after the door shut, turning her green-grey eyes to him.

"I simply wanted to ask how you were doing," Xavier answered truthfully. "And we both know that you won't answer me truthfully in the presence of others." He gave her a pointed look at that which had her averting her gaze for a second.

"Ah...Ah'm better, Ah guess...a lil' anyway..." Rogue told him after a lengthy pause, lifting her eyes back to his when she did.

"I'm very glad to hear that," Xavier said, giving a brief smile. "I wish there was more I could do to aid you, Rogue...but I any steps I take telepathically could end up hurting you more than helping. That, of course, is not a risk I'm willing to take. Not when I know that you can recover from these things over the natural course of time." He gave her another smile, this one a touch brighter and more proud, even as she opened her mouth to protest. "Now don't even say it, Rogue," he said, cutting her off. "You're strong minded...more than you perhaps even realize."

"Don'tcha mean stubborn?" Rogue asked, half teasing as his simple praise had done as intended and given her spirits a brief lift.

"That too," Xavier conceded. "Moving on, I believe you likely want to go speak to Remy or have other things to do before it gets late. So...you may leave if you wish."

Rogue nodded briefly, then stood. "Yeah...Ah did kinda wanna talk t' him...but...uh..." Rogue paused for a moment. "Ah uh...also wanted t' say thanks...for not askin' in front of everyone or somethin'. An' just for askin' in general Ah guess, too..."

"You're quite welcome, Rogue," Xavier stated simply. "Though perhaps it doesn't show all of the time, I do care a good deal. Not just about the others, but you as well. I simply wish there was more I could do for you."

"Ya done more than Ah probably deserve," Rogue said, then shook her head to negate her own comment. "No...more than Ah expected."

Xavier didn't respond, but instead gave a kind smile as Rogue finally turned, exiting his office. He had meant what he said about helping her, and how he hated not being able to do more. Even after numerous talks with Hank and even Eric more recently there were no new clues as to how to give Rogue the control she so desired over her powers. There was one who could likely help her, he knew. But that meant loosing a student who, control or no, held such potential, and he wasn't sure he was ready for that. Before he could ponder the matter further, Xavier felt a brief surge of pain, rather like a fleeting headache. It was then that an occurrence he couldn't explain happened.

Charles Xavier had admitted to those in the mansion that he'd been given visions of the future when he entered the mind of Apocalypse, some of which he feared happening, others he looked forward to. But now, though he could clearly remember the original order of events, new ones were thrust into his mind, causing quite the headache. These new events seemed to override a few of the old, confusing Xavier at first. Something had changed drastically, enough to alter the events Apocalypse had seen in the future...and Professor Xavier wasn't so sure he wanted to know what caused the change.

As he thought over these new events he'd been allowed to see through some strange phenomenon, one in particular stood out. It was a woman...well, a silhouette of the right side of a woman anyway for the left was all in shadow, and she was dressed in black. What was either a trench coat or a long cape fluttered around her, while a hood or scarf hid the hair. The only defined feature was the eyes, both of which were glowing. First their color was a deep green which soon faded to gold, followed by bright, blinding white.

There was one other thing that both captured his attention and worried him. It was a blade, shaped like a katana, and it too glowed. The blade, however, glowed with so many different colors it was hard to identify a single shade, and those colors shifted and moved as if they were alive on the blade. To say the least, it was intriguing.

This vision was unique from the others in another key way; it had a "title" of sorts that was just as intriguing and mysterious as the thing it was to describe. "Guardian." A single word, a single title...An eight lettered word that Professor Charles Xavier knew, without doubt, was also a name. What he didn't know was just how important the entity it named would be to him and, in time, to a good many humans and mutants alike.

**A/N: **How's that for a puzzle, eh? Hehe. Kudos to anyone who has the slightest idea as to what I'm refering to with this mysterious "Guardian." I'd offer a sneek-peek for the next chapter, but I think I'll hold off on that for now. As much because I don't have it past the A/N as anything else. LOL. Anyway, review if you would please! And I'm afraid no requests on pairings you want to see for now, much less those dealing with our wonderful Rogue. All pairings are staying Evo canon for a few chapters yet. Sorry.

**Songs: **_Evanescence - "Forever Gone, Forever You" - unreleased. _Those reading this on can find the lyrics for this song at my Yahoo Group or by doing a Yahoo search for the band and song title.

**A/N again**:...now to finally do some review replies for Ch. 1...took me long enough...


	3. Act I, Ch 3-Out of the Shadows

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Chapter 3, "Out of the Shadows"**_

**Author Notes: **Its been ages since I wrote anything…X-men or otherwise, and my life has change drastically in that time. But I've begun to watch reruns of X-men Evolution on Disney XD, and rereading my own fictions. I promised ages ago I would NEVER completely abandon my fictions, so I am back to fulfill my promise. While updates may still take time, I will do my best to keep this going in a timely manner.

And to address a few questions from reviewers:

_NeoNails:_ Pairings are still being decided for certain, but I'm a ROMY fan at heart. So any flirts she has are likely just that. *wink*

_Agent-G: _Professor X "suppressed" some of the images he absorbed from Apocalypse because there were so many. Plus, Apocalypse has seen a few different futures I'd imagine. Destiny/Irene is the only true future seer, but Xavier seeing that flash was kind of a "cookie." As for the other, you'll have to wait and see. Hehe.

ALTERNATE CHAPTER W/ LYRICS POSTED AT: .com/group/RBHSFanFicArchive

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me! Any other OCs will be addressed as the enter.

**Notice: **Due to 's rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and I will be posting a link to my own site where the lyrics will be posted. For that matter, there may be alternate versions of chapters as well. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred, Mystique), and my own unique Excalibur team...you'll find out who they are later.

**Somewhere in Hell - **

"You know my aid comes at a price, old man."

"Aye, I dunna 'a care."

Blinding golden eyes took in the tall frame of the demon in front of them, then a slow smirk formed from under the shadowing hood. "I figured as much. There's a reason I came...I have a...shall we say, request."

"Wha' kinda request?" the demon asked warily, his own golden eye glowing softly as he watched the form from his cell.

"There's a girl who interests me...I want you to help her...train her...protect her."

"Dat it?" he said, a smirk forming on his own lips.

"She's something of a rebel...like you. And attracts a fair amount of trouble, without meaning to."

"Sounds like me, a'ight."

The shadowed form of the Guardian moved forward now, and with a wave of her hand, the cell door was unlocked. At the same moment, a vision was granted to the demon, a vision of the girl he was to find and protect. "There is one who can help you get to the girl...a woman by the name of McTaggert. Return to your home in Ireland...she will find you there."

"I like de name...been a while since I been home."

"I'm aware of that...you'll be in Scotland for a while...but I do believe there will be enough to occupy you...plenty of fighting."

The demon grins evilly. "I love a good fight."

"These mortals will not be worthy of your true power...but they will amuse you at least, in their attempts." The Guardian smiled now. "Do we have a deal?"

"Sure...why not?"

"Done." In a flash of black light, the shackles binding the demon to the wall fell away as if nothing, leaving him free to do as he pleased. "I will see you again, old friend."

"Aye...but dunna ever ask me fer n' more fav'rs."

Golden eyes flash with amusement. "I make no promises..." And with a wink, she was gone, leaving the demon to find his own ways out of hell.

**Bayville, around midnight - **

The new X-man, known to most as Gambit, whistled as he sped along the city streets on his motorcycle, a grin on his lips. _De chere best enjoy dis surprise...wasn't easy findin' a store open dis late dat had chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream still in stock, _Gambit mused. _Still...she be worth it, heh? _

As he passed a darkened alleyway of the city, a huge pillar of fire came shooting from the ground, lighting up the area, even as the pillar reached for the sky. Then, as sudden as it came, the pillar was gone, leaving the alley in shadow. Surprised beyond words, Gambit screeched his bike to a halt in front of the alleyway, his red-on-black eyes searching for what had caused such a phenomenon. A slight shuffling sound drew his attention, and he looked harder, only to wish he had perhaps taken another route home.

There, in the alley, was a seven foot tall man with shaggy green hair and a glowing red eye. Seconds later, the eye changed to gold, and the man shook his head rather like a dog trying to get rid of water. As the Cajun watched this, the smell of sulfur and blood reached his nostrils, making him turn up his nose in disgust. With a shake of his own head, Gambit made to start up the bike, not wanting to be anywhere near here when the man finally regained his senses.

**X-mansion -**

Back at the X-mansion, since its a Friday night, most of the teens are still up and about, watching TV or hanging out in each others rooms to talk. A sound of a motorcycle roaring up the driveway catches the attention of most, alerting them to Gambit's return a good few minutes before he actually even makes it to the house. Downstairs, Rogue is seated on a barstool in the kitchen and sipping on a glass of water when Gambit enters from the garage. Without warning, he deposits the package of ice cream he had picked up on the counter, and promptly turns to the trashcan to vomit. Concerned, Rogue stands and walks over to him. And in her concern, her normal "no touching" rule gets disregarded. Gloved figures gently pull Remy's hair away from his face as he vomits quite rudely into the trashcan, causing him to start in surprise at the gesture.

"What on earth's got ya so sick, Rem?" Rogue questions, green eyes a bit wider than normal in their curiosity.

During a break in his retching, Gambit raises his head a bit to look at her. "Jus' saw somet'in disgustin' is all...well...smelled it is more like it...been doin' dis..." he makes a lame gesture at the trashcan, "ev'r since...stopped more dan a few times on de way home..."

"All this over somethin' ya smelled?" Rogue asks, surprised. "Must've been pretty damn awful..."

"Brimstone and blood and burning trash..." Gambit answers, then leans over the trashcan, now dry heaving.

"Ya wanna see Mr. McCoy?"

"Na...jus' gonna tell me t' drink some water and lay down, pro'lly..."

Rogue nods, then backs away as Gambit straightens, finally rid of his sickness...at least for now. While he grabs himself a glass of water, she puts away the ice cream he'd gotten her, hiding it on the bottom shelf at the back in her usual spot, then takes a seat next to him at the counter again. And while he sips on the water, trying to get his system to calm down more completely, Rogue almost absently rubs at his back as she vaguely remembers someone doing for her as a child when she was sick.

At first, Gambit starts when she touches him, surprised, then slowly relaxes, allowing himself to enjoy the contact while she's willing to give it. Then, without warning Kurt bamfs in, grabs a drink from the fridge, then bamfs out, leaving the smell of brimstone in the air. And despite the fact that the smell is a good deal lighter than what he had smelled before, its enough to have Gambit off of the barstool and retching again into the trashcan while Rogue watches him in amazement.

Just then, Scott walks by the door, and at the sound of Gambit throwing up again, stops to look in. At the sight of Gambit bent over the trashcan, and Rogue watching with a rather dazed look, Scott makes his own assumptions and looks at Rogue in disappointment. "Rogue, please tell me you guys didn't get into Logan's stash again..."

Rogue shakes herself from her daze and glares at Scott. "No...Gambit just ain't feelin' good."

"Then what was with your dazed look?"

"Oh...er...just one second he was sittin' here and th' next he's bent over th' trash can again..." Rogue only half fibbed, as the real reason for her daze had been the mere fact that she'd actually been touching Gambit without thought.

"Right..." Scott says, unsure, then looks at Gambit. "You need me to get Mr. McCoy up here?"

"No t'anks, mon ami," Gambit mutters as he slumps to the kitchen floor, quite exhausted. "Jus' gonna sit here for a bit, den go sleep..."

The last was barely out of his lips before Gambit slides to the floor, now passed out.

**Ireland - **

From the shadows of an old castle, the same demon who had surprised Gambit in New York steps forth, head bowed against the early lights before sunrise, his eyes slowly adjusting. Finally, he lifts a golden eye to look around, one hand resting on the hilt of one of three katanas slung at his waist. Almost from no where, a mini-jet appears, and he turns, pointing the sword in the direction of the auburn-haired woman who approaches.

"Ach, put th' bloody thing away," the woman muttered, not at all fazed by his drawn weapon, instead, she took in his many bleeding wounds and uncommon height. "Now, ye're a right sight, aren't ye? That c'n be fixed, though."

The demon blinks at the woman for a moment, then speaks in an accent heavily laced with traces of the Irish. "Wha' de 'loody 'ell?"

"Bloody," the woman takes in his appearance again, "tha' ye are, but hell? No, I dinnae think so. Don't suppose ye have a name do ye?"

"Why de 'ell sh'ld Ah tell ye?"

Miffed, the woman puts her hands on her hips and frowns at him. "Well tis certainly no way t' treat someone who was lookin' t' help ye, now is it? ACH! Where are me own manners? I'm Moira McTaggert."

The demon raises an eyebrow. "McTaggert?"

"Aye..."

"Z."

"I'll be assuming that Z is ye're name?" The woman asked.

"Aye…"

"Well then, 'Z,' lets get ye out of the damp mornin' air, and go somewhere we can have a chat, if you're agreeable," Moira says, one eyebrow raised in question.

Z raises one shoulder in a sort of shrug, and smirks. "Lead de way, lass."

**Muir Island Research Center, Scotland - **

Moira landed the mini-jet on a small air-pad outside of her research center, then glanced over her shoulder to where Z was hunched into the passenger seat behind her. "I hope tha' wasn' too bad a flight for ye t' handle…"

Z has one of his katanas drawn and looks uncomfortable. "Like walkin' through 'ell lass…"

Moira pauses in the unbuckling of her seatbelt to give him a critical look, then shakes her head in amusement. "Ye certainly do use th' word 'hell' a lot, laddie…"

"When ya been where Ah 'ave, ya do…"

"I'll take your word for it…now, ye planning on getting out of the plane or no?"

"Wha' a plane?"

Moira raises an eyebrow. "Tha' thing you're sittin' in would be a plane…"

Z tilts his head, then taps the side of the plane with the hilt of his sword.

"Ye done?"

Z suddenly vanishes from the plane, leaving Moira to look at the vacated area curiously, and with no small amount of surprise. Then, without a sound, Z reappears behind her there on the ground, and smirks. "Aye…"

Whirling, Moira takes a step back so she can properly look at Z, rather than have her nose about to poke Z in the stomach. "Well, I suppose that would be some sort of teleportation ye do, hmm?"

Z points to the ground, where Moira's shadow reaches right up to the tip of Z's boots.

Moira looks down, then back up at Z, then sighs, realizing it will take a while to get this one actually speak more than a few words at a time. "Might as well go on inside," she tells Z, motioning to the Research facility not far away. "See if we can't find ye a room if ye like…"

Z slowly takes in the facility, then looks back to Moira. "Aight…" he mutters.

Moira leads him to the facility, her own brisk stride keeping up with his slower, yet long, lumbering steps. "The rest of me team be out for a few days taken care of things on th' mainland, so ye'll have plenty o' time t' settle in."

Z looks at the building again. "More dan one person lives 'ere?"

"Aye," Moira says with a slight laugh, "We got 'round half a dozen people that live 'ere, off and on."

Z nods.

With a smile, Moira slides her key card through the electronic lock, and pushes the door open to allow Z entry. "Well then, Z…Welcome t' Muir Island."

**Xavier Mansion, 3 days later -**

The photos of 7 mutants came up on a large screen, each of them very different from the others. After a few moments of silence, the mutant known as Beast moved from his spot at a keyboard to the side, even as the profiles of the 7 other mutants began to slide one by one onto the screen.

"So these are her students?" Ororo Munroe asked, turning blue eyes to her old friend, Xavier.

"Students…no. These are those whom have proven themselves in enough control to be a part of the team known as Excalibur." Xavier let his gaze linger on the profiles for a moment longer before turning to face the others in the room. "It would seem that the European governments are a few years ahead of our own in their dealings with mutants. After the ordeal with Apocalypse, Europe realized that there would be foes whom only teams of mutants could battle and survive. Thus, they felt it prudent to form their own team, under their control, to protect all of Europe from any non-human menace that might arise."

"So they turned a bunch of young mutants into their own fightin' force?" Logan ground out, looking at the photos again. And true enough, none of the mutants pictured looked to be any older than perhaps 25.

"In a sense," Xavier conceded. "But an old friend of mine is part of the project, and has been in contact with me weekly since the team was formed. I trust her to take care of the mutants she's charged with."

Curious, Beast turned to look at the Professor. "But I was under the impression the good Doctor was not a mutant herself?"

"No, she is not. But she has studied the X-gene for years, and is very sympathetic to our cause."

"Doctor?" Logan said, eyebrow raised.

Knowing what Logan's concern was, Xavier shook his head and smiled. "Do not worry, Logan. She is not the type who would experiment on mutants. She is simply interested in helping them learn control."

"Then could she do somethin' for Rogue?"

"I…" Xavier paused. "I am not sure. She has seen the file on all of the students here, and something tells me she has her own hypothesis when it comes to Rogue's powers. But she would also need to run her own tests, which cannot, unfortunately, be run here."

"So that means…" Ororo frowned.

"Yes…that means Rogue would have to, at least temporarily, leave the Institute."

"No way, Chuck. Girl's better off here with people she knows," Logan said, immediately against anything that would take Rogue away from his watchful gaze.

Magneto shook his head at the protective nature of the others at the table. "The girl has incredible power, and no way to control it right now. And without control she can be used as a weapon against us. Or have you already forgotten what Mesmero and Apocalypse did?" His cool blue eyes noticed Mystique shift her weight from one foot to another, the only sign of distress she would allow herself to show. "Or does Rogue need to have a relapse of when the many psyches she has absorbed fought for control to make you see clearly?"

Unable to keep quiet any longer, Mystique moved from where she leaned at the door. "She's grown stronger, possibly more powerful since that…episode."

"Which you let happen," Ororo reminded, "and without alerting us. We could've helped her had we realized what was going on."

"Yes, and you were doing such a fanastic job of that to begin with," Mystique countered, approaching Ororo, eyes narrowed.

"And posing as her friend, lying to her, using her for your own means makes you such a wonderful mother or caretaker does it?" Ororo asked as she rose from her chair.

"Mystique, Ororo, sit down," the professor bade. "I am telling you all about this not just for Rogue, but for any of our students who perhaps need an extra push to properly control their powers."

"It just don't feel right…feels like we're givin' up on em," Logan said. "And that's the last thing the kids need, ain't it?"

"Indeed," Hank agreed. "However, I do feel the students should be allowed to know there is another option. Sometimes just knowing that there is another path, another helping hand can be enough to cause a person to gain the confidence they were previously lacking."

"Let us think on it a bit longer," Magneto proposed. "Not just your students can benefit from this, Charles. And if we tell one, we should tell them all."

"Of course," Xavier said, as that had been his intention all along. "We'll talk about this again at a later time."

One by one, the other adults left the room until there was just Logan and Hank left, both looking at the photos of the Excalibur team. With a smirk, Logan turned his attention to Hank. "Hell of an odd bunch she's got there, eh?"

"Mmm," Hank murmured, then raised an eyebrow. "Odd is a word that could be used for our team as well, Logan. Perhaps the term you'd be looking for is colorful?"

Chuckling, Logan looked at the photos again. "Colorful…are ya just talking about the hair there Hank?"

**Author Notes:** I'll leave it there. Hehe.


	4. Author Notice

**Author Notice for Best Of You**

For all of my readers out there, I wanted to say thank you for still posting reviews, and adding me to favorites and notices. I am actually in the process of working on this story again. For the time being, this will be my ONLY story that is updated. I do intend to eventually get back into my other stories, and perhaps re-write old ones that need revision, but Best Of You is the one I'm most eager to work on. I am also looking for a Beta Reader for BOY.

If you're interested in being a Beta, keep in mind that 1) This story may eventually cross into the "M" rating; if you're not supposed to be reading those stories, I won't accept you as a Beta. 2) Pairings are NOT set in this story. If you only Beta for a specific pairing, then this story isn't for you. As it says in the summary, just for example there will be some Jott, Romy and Scogue. How deep I go into the couples will vary, but I'm not a die-hard fan for any couple in Evo. Comics, yeah...ROMY is all I read there. But Evo had way too much potential for varied couples we'd never seen before. So just keep that in mind!

I'll take this notice down when the real Chapter 4 is posted, but Ch. 5 will probably be posted at the same time if I have my way, so you'll know its been updated anyhow.

Again, thanks to all my fans, and I hope I still have the ability you all enjoyed so long ago!

RogueBHS


	5. Act I, Ch 4-Open Up

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Chapter 4, "Open Up"**_

**Author Notes: ****After an insanely long hiatus, I am finally working on this story again! I've been doing everything I can to get back into writing since I quit, and I think I finally have a muse that's willing to stay around. I know those who were reading this before will need to go back and re-read the previous chapters, and I apologize for that. This is going to be the ONLY story I'm working on for a while, because Harry Potter just isn't what I'm into right now. Just isn't the same knowing that HP is over. Anyhow...For now, there are no alternate ways to read chapters, but if you want to get lyrics for songs, Google A-Z Lyrics. Its a great site I've used for YEARS to get song lyrics, and its rare they don't have what I want/need. And now, ON WITH THE STORY!**

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and I will be posting a link to my own site where the lyrics will be posted. For that matter, there may be alternate versions of chapters as well. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred, Mystique), and my own unique Excalibur team...you'll find out who they are later.

**X-men Mansion – 2 days after end of Ch. 3 -**

A crashing sound in the foyer had the girl known as Rogue looking up from her book in the library, a small smirk curving her lips as she heard fellow Southerner, Sam Guthrie immediately start apologizing to the Professor. Of course, the good Professor just brushed it off, saying that it was not one of the expensive pieces he owned. Professor Xavier had been smart enough to move anything of value either out of the mansion altogether, or keep it in areas the teens didn't goof off in after Nightcrawler and Toad had tried to wreck the house a few years ago. Standing, Rogue moved to the doorway just as Ray and Roberto snagged Sam and dragged him off to play a game of football in the backyard. When the professor turned, his pale blue eyes fell upon the Goth, and a small smile formed on his lips.

"Ah, Rogue," Xavier began, folding his hands over his lap in his usual way. "How are you doing this afternoon?"

Leaning on the door frame, Rogue tucked her wayward bangs behind an ear. "Alright, Ah guess," she murmured. "After mah freak-out in the Danger Room, people are kinda givin' me more space...not crowdin' around lahke they used to. It helps, but..." Rogue trailed off for a moment, her grey-green eyes unfocused. When she refocused her eyes on the Professor, her small smile was sheepish. "Makes meh feel a bit like Ah've got somethin' contagious. Ah know Ah get uncomfortable with people crowdin', but its still weird havin' people leave so much space between ya and them."

Xavier's small smile turned to one of understanding and compassion, not an unusual expression for him. "I can imagine it does get...weird," he said after a small pause, his smile now almost apologetic. "I am glad to hear the other students are trying to respect your need for space. I've been so busy lately, it's almost difficult to keep up with how all of you are doing, despite my best efforts."

Rogue gave a one-sided shrug, her smile becoming just a bit bigger. "No one expects ya ta be able to keep up with everythin' goin' on around heah, Professah. We all know ya got a lot to do."

Professor Xavier gave a small shake of his head, but kept the small smile he'd had for their entire conversation. "So long as you all know and remember I am never too busy if you need my assistance," he said, his pale blue eyes giving her a pointed look.

Understanding the meaning behind his words and look, Rogue nodded. "Ah know, Professah." She glanced towards the grandfather clock that stood in the foyer, then returned her focus to the Professor. "Guess Ah'd bettah go get started givin' Ms. Munroe a hand with dinnah. Its mah turn tonight."

Giving the clock a look of his own, Xavier nodded once. "Indeed. And I have a few things I should look at before we dine," he said, his hand moving to the controls for his chair.

"See ya at dinnah then, suh," Rogue said with one last hint of a smile, before turning and heading towards the mansion's kitchen, book still in hand.

Once she had left the foyer, a figure stepped from the shadows where it had been watching. Logan gave a considering look in the direction Rogue had headed, then turned his attention to Professor Xavier. "She still ain't bein' totally straight with us, Chuck," he said, eyes flickering again to the kitchen.

"I'm aware of that fact, Logan," Charles answered dryly. "We can only push so far before she begins to shut down all together. And at this point, we'll have to take what we can get."

Grunting in frustration with his favorite student, Logan shoved his hands into the pockets of his well-worn jeans. "Just wish the kid would realize we can't help 'er if she won't tell us what's goin' on. Its almost like what she was doin' before her powers went all outta control, or before she pushed the statue of Mystique off that cliff..."

"We just need to ensure that nothing like that happens this time," Xavier mused. "Though how, I'm not sure..." he trailed off, before finally settling his hand on the controls of the chair, and turning towards the elevator. "We will just have to keep trying..."

**Kitchen, same night -**

Rogue entered the kitchen, setting her book on a cabinet where it would be out of the way for dinner preparation, and nodding at the resident weather witch, Ororo Munroe when she was greeted. "Hey Ms. Munroe. Sorry Ah'm a bit late...got ta talkin' ta th' Professah for a minute."

Ororo just smiled in her serene way as she let her hand settle on Rogue's shoulder for a moment. "It is fine, Rogue. I had planned a simple meal for tonight, so there is no need to worry. We still have plenty of time to prepare everything." As soon as she had finished speaking, she let her hand slide from the girl's shoulder, her own way of respecting Rogue's preference to be touched as little as possible. Turning, she moved to the fridge and opened it. "I was thinking of baked chicken and some roasted vegetables," she said, already pulling the chicken out. "What do you think?"

Shrugging, though she knew Ororo wouldn't see it, Rogue leaned on the kitchen island. "Sounds kinda borin', no offense...Ya know the how th' guys are..."

"Well, any other ideas for how to do the chicken then?" Ororo asked as she set the packages on the counter, sapphire eyes focusing on her helper.

Rogue frowned, setting her chin in her hand as she thought for a moment. "Ah'm assumin' ya were aimin' for healthy as much as simple raght?"

"That would be preferred, yes," Ororo answered with a smile. "After all of the junk food you teens have been having lately, I decided a healthy meal was best."

Nodding, almost to herself, Rogue suddenly looked over at Ororo. "What about a Stir-Fry?" she asked, standing up. "Its easy ta do a small Veggie one for Kit or anyone who wants extra vegetables, then do a chicken one for th' rest of us?"

"It would be a lot of chopping, but I think we have enough vegetables to do it," Ororo said as she started looking through the massive fridge that was specifically for dinner ingredients. She glanced at Rogue who had moved over to within arms' range, then started handing her onions, peppers and other veg for the dinner. "Do you think anyone would eat brown rice if I fix it, or shall we just do white?"

Rogue ran through a mental list of the likes and dislikes of those in the mansion quickly before answering as she continued placing the veg she was handed onto the counter. "Scott, Jean and Kitty would eat it...so would Remy...but th' othah's would prefer the white."

Ororo's smile had a touch of sadness as she laid a hand on Rogue's shoulder again in a gesture of affection. "I know its hard for you, the way you know our likes and dislikes so well, but at times, I'm glad you do know them."

Rogue shrugged the shoulder Ororo wasn't touching, trying not to let the words affect her too much. It was the second time today she had been confronted about her powers and the effect they had on her mental state, and she was not sure how to handle it. "Its nothin'," she muttered, but she gave Ororo a brief look of gratitude for her concern anyhow, causing the weather witch to squeeze her shoulder before the two women turned to the counter full of vegetables. Rogue's eyes widened a bit at the excess, then she sighed. "Guess we'd bettah get ta choppin' all this, or there won't be any dinnah t'naght."

Laughing softly, Ororo nodded. "Indeed. Lets get to work..."

**Same Night, Dinner -**

The formal dining room of Xavier's mansion was filled to capacity for dinner that Sunday night, making the sounds of silverware against plates and general chatter seem that much louder as it echoed off the wood paneling of the walls. The table itself held a good many serving dishes, full of chicken stir-fry, vegetable stir-fry, and two kinds of rice, most of which were half full at best. Ororo had been receiving compliments on the meal since the first bites were taken, and, smiling, she had deflected most of them. Finally, when Professor Xavier spoke up for the second time that night with a compliment of his own, Ororo came clean.

"Well, the dinner was really Rogue's idea," Ororo said, causing a good portion of the table to go silent. "I would never have been able to do it all without her."

Xavier smiled and looked to Rogue, who was likely blushing under her make-up if the way she was hiding her face was any indication. "Well, then let me add my compliments to you as well Rogue," he paused for the girl to raise her gray-green eyes to him. "This is a nice change. Especially as we only ever have something like this if we order in."

Rogue's gloved hand came up to play with her bangs, as it always did when she was nervous about being singled out. "'Its nothin', Professah," she urged. "Just sounded bettah than baked chicken and veg...and its easy t' do."

Remy, who was seated next to Rogue, grabbed her gloved hand to stop her nervous motions. "No need t' be shy, cherie," he teased with a smile. "Pretty sure we all t'ankful ya talked Stormy inta makin' dis instead...Ya did good, comprendez-vous?"

Rogue's head ducked down again, and now her blush was visible even through the white make-up. "Oui," she murmured, her eyes cutting to meet Remy's red-on-black ones.

"Bon," he said simply, finally releasing her hand. Noticing the raised eyebrow from Ororo, he shrugged and grinned at her. "Wha? Baked Chicken and veg be a good healt'y meal an' all, but 's not de most flavorful o' choices"

Scott, aiming to deflect more attention from Rogue, nodded in agreement. "I'm all for healthy, but it's definitely a lot easier to eat healthy when it tastes this good." Now that a good portion of the table was looking at him instead of Rogue, he gave the lopsided smile that caused many a crush on him. "What? Even to me baked chicken and vegetables sounds boring..."

Rogue finally looked up again, having realized attention was off her. Her gray-green eyes first met Remy's red-on-black, and she let a small smile curve her lips in thanks. Remy responded with a barely noticeable nod and quirk of his lips in a smile before turning his attention to the conversation going on around them. A small movement in the corner of her eye drew Rogue's attention to Scott, who gave her a small but warm smile. Rogue fought the urge to let her smile grow, and instead gave him the same small smile she had given Remy. Internally though, Rogue was cursing the crush she'd had on Scott since her Brotherhood days. It always seemed that just as she was beginning to get over him, he'd manage to do something that made her feelings come back as strong as before, perhaps even stronger. Scott seemed to pick up on the small change in her mood and gave her a questioning look that had Rogue ducking her head to look at her plate. Despite his ruby-colored vision, Scott sometimes was far too observant in her opinion. She was just thankful (well, okay, partly thankful) that Scott had never noticed her crush on him.

Scott gave an internal sigh when Rogue ducked her head to avoid him. It seemed like every time he started to have her opening up that something or someone would interrupt and cause her to shut down again. Although, this time he had no idea what had caused her to shut down. He temporarily entertained the idea of approaching her after dinner, but then remembered he had asked Jean if she'd like to go out to a movie that night. As if she had picked up on his thoughts, Jean sent a brief but silent question across their link, and he felt her bright green eyes settle on him for a moment.

"_Its nothing." _Scott sent back across the link, but he could tell Jean didn't buy it.

"_If it was nothing, you wouldn't be frowning."_

Realizing he was indeed frowning, Scott schooled his face into its normal stoic expression before responding to his girlfriend. "_Sorry...I'm just still worried about Rogue. I just feel like there's something I should be doing to help her open up more."_

Jean gave a telepathic smile and gentle feeling of reassurance through the link. "_I kind of picked up on that. I think we're all worried about her. It can't be easy to have gone through all she has this year." _Not for the first time, Jean found herself feeling the same way Scott did. "_And I know what you mean...but its harder for me, because she won't open up to me at all. I wish she would..."_

Scott let their conversation end there. After all, what else could he say? He wasn't sure why Rogue didn't seem close with Jean...or perhaps it's better to say that he had confronted Rogue about it. Scott had an idea or two of why Rogue had never accepted Jean's many offers of friendship, but he had always stayed away from that topic with both females. As Rogue had said once, the girls were "worlds apart," in more ways than one.

**Rogue and Wanda's Bedroom, 2 days later -**

Wanda Maximoff didn't consider herself an overly open person. For that matter, she didn't consider herself a very nice person. Wanda was well aware of the fact that she was highly skeptical of anyone who wanted to help her or be nice to her. She was also aware of the fact she didn't like anyone being close to her, be it physically or emotionally. Now, the mind tampering her father had talked Mastermind into doing to her had changed her for a while, and she was now well aware of the fact the tampering had been done. However, instead of going off at her father has many had anticipated she would, thanks to the influence of Professor Charles Xavier, she had allowed her father to explain his actions. That isn't to say she had forgiven her father...not by a long shot. But she could understand how having a daughter who could keep you from using your powers, and wanted to kill you at a time when an ancient mutant wanted to take over the world could be a bit of an inconvenience. Not that it made things any easier...but she could sort of understand none the less.

What made it worse, at least in her opinion, was the fact that she still wanted her father's love and acceptance despite herself. She knew that Magneto would never be an ideal father. She knew that if it suited his needs, he would again dispose of her and her brother at the drop of a hat until they were of use to him. And up until recently, she had thought she would be very hard pressed to find another teen who had been through anything remotely similar to her, much less find someone who had a parent as...well, evil was too strong a word. So perhaps saying she had never expected to find another teen, besides her own brother, who had a terrorist for a parent is the better way to phrase things. But no matter what she expected, she found someone anyhow.

Upon first hearing about the X-men, and learning their pasts and powers, Wanda had been shocked to hear that Rogue had left the Brotherhood for the X-men. The goth was anything but your typical X-geek, as the boys of the Brotherhood liked to call them. She was moody at best, as little of a people person as Wanda herself, and definitely didn't like people being close to her. Though until meeting her, Wanda had wondered if the last was because of the girl's powers. Now, it was easier to assume that Rogue was very much a loner type personality, powers or no. The two girls had barely spoken since Wanda came to Bayville, and even with them now sharing a room they seemed to avoid speaking. As she reclined on her bed and listened to some music, she had to wonder if perhaps the reason she and Rogue never spoke was because they were both eager to avoid the topics they had in common. Neither of them liked to think much about their pasts or terrorist parents after all. Glancing over to the other bed in the room, she eyed Rogue critically.

Rogue was also reclining on her bed, using her own portable CD player and headphones. Though the two had a similar taste in music, they still preferred different bands, and thus out of a silent respect, only used the massive stereo system Rogue had bought if they were both in the mood for the same band, or if they were alone in the room. Rogue had her gray-green eyes shut, and was lighting drumming her black-gloved fingers against her leg to the beat of some song. With Rogue's eyes shut, Wanda took a few more seconds to look at her. There had been a Danger Room session earlier that morning, and afterwards, Rogue had ditched her uniform for a pair of dark gray yoga pants with a faded jade green hooded sweatshirt. Her hair, still damp from the shower afterwards, was pulled into one of those "claw" hair clips, the white locks down and framing her face. It was an unusual hairstyle for Rogue, but Wanda thought it looked good on her.

As if sensing she was being watched (and she probably did), Rogue opened her eyes and looked to her roommate. "Ya need somethin' Wanda?" Rogue drawled, one eyebrow raising slightly.

Wanda shook her head, sliding off her headphones. "No." She paused, then decided to be honest. "Was just thinking about how we've barely said 2 words to each other since being asked to share a room..."

Rogue smirked, taking off her own headphones now. "Well that sounded lahke more than two words..."

Rolling her eyes at the other girl's sarcasm, Wanda gave a small smirk of her own. "You know what I mean."

Rogue sat up on her bed and turned to face the Scarlet Witch. She seemed to be thinking about something, so Wanda waited patiently for her to speak. "Well..." Rogue began, hesitating briefly. "Ah reckon neithah of us really needs t' say much." She paused again. "We both know life ain't fair, we both know people c'n be cruel as hell, and we both've been through more th'n people twice or three times our age..." This time Rogue's voice trailed off, and her eyes became unfocused, causing Wanda to wonder what horrors Rogue had seen, both on her own and because of her powers.

When Rogue had not continued speaking after a few minutes, Wanda rose from her own bed and cross the room. Slowly, so as not to startle Rogue, she sat on the edge of the bed, then reached out and touched the other girl carefully on the shoulder. "Rogue?" she asked softly.

It took a few seconds for Rogue to come back to herself and refocus, but when she did, she gave Wanda an apologetic smile. "Sorry 'bout that..." she murmured, "Ah normally c'n keep from zonin' out lahke that..."

"Its ok," Wanda reassured her, and was surprised at herself for honestly having been worried about Rogue for the time she had been zoned out. It had been a while since she had really worried about anyone besides her brother or her father. "You can talk about it, you know...if it will help.." Wanda found herself saying, meaning every word. There had been a few nights she had woken to the sounds of Rogue struggling because of a nightmare, and vise versa, but she was now wondering if maybe talking to someone who could commiserate would help after all. Xavier had tried to tell her for years that talking helped, after all.

If Rogue was surprised by Wanda's offer, it didn't show. Instead, she gave a heavy sigh. "Ah'm not sure ya really wanna know..."

Wanda's bright blue eyes narrowed, and she found her powers flaring in her fingertips. She closed her eyes and focused on canceling her powers, hating how her emotions were still so out of control sometimes. Slowly, she opened her eyes and now it was her turn to give Rogue an apologetic smile. "Sorry, I can't help but get a bit upset when people tell me that I don't want to know something..."

Rogue gave a small smile that was more just a quirk of the lips than anything. "Ah know...Ah should'a thought o' that before Ah said somethin'..."

Wanda nodded, then gave Rogue a pointed look. "I honestly don't mind listening...even if it is something I might not want to hear..." She paused, then gave a hint of a grin. "Just don't blame me if your radio doesn't work or something afterwards."

A chuckle escaped Rogue's lips before she sobered. "If ya're sure..."

Another nod from Wanda was all it took for Rogue to answer. "Was one of yo' fathah's memories..." She paused. "From th' camps..."

"The camps?" Wanda asked, frowning. "What camps?"

Rogue's gray-green eyes widened. "Ya mean ya don't know?"

"Know what?"

Rogue hesitated briefly. "Wanda...yo' fathah was alive durin' the Holocaust. He was in Auschwitz." She paused again. "Ya honestly didn' know?"

Wanda shook her head, dazed by this new information. "I...I had no idea..." Tears began to form in the corners of her eyes, and she wiped them away furiously. "Can...can you tell me more? I need to know...but I...I can't ask him."

After a moment, Rogue nodded. "Alraght...We maght be heah a while..."

Wanda only nodded. "As long as it takes."

**A/N: **Well, I think I'll end it there for you. You've waited long enough as it is, and the ideas are going smooth, so hopefully I can get another chapter out within the week. I do hope you enjoyed it, and can't wait to read the reviews!


	6. Act I, Ch 5-Beautiful Day

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Chapter 5, "Beautiful Day"**_

**Author Notes: ****Ok, so its been more than a week since the last update, but I had to get things totally right with the time line in my head. My desktop that I was writing this on crashed a few months ago, so any notes I had on that are long gone. Probably for the best though. :) Didn't get but one review for last chapter, which saddens me, but ah well. Hopefully people will slowly make their way back to reviewing! They keep me going folks, they really do! Ok, now its time to incorporate some other characters into this thing...one step at a time. Also, Rogue and Remy converse a bit in French later. Translations are via Google's translator.**

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and I will be posting a link to my own site where the lyrics will be posted. For that matter, there may be alternate versions of chapters as well. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred, Mystique), and my own unique Excalibur team...you'll find out who they are later.

**Poolside, Xavier Mansion, 1 day after Ch. 4 close -**

_Could this day get any more perfect? _Kitty thought, stretching herself out over a pool lounge. The bright summer's sun warmed her skin, and was definitely having a positive effect on the mood of all those around her. After a rainy day previously, nearly all of the residents of Xavier's mansion were taking advantage of the sun in one way or another. Quite a few of the boys were playing a game of shirts vs. skins football near the pool, so as to keep an eye on the girls who had decided to sunbathe in their swimsuits. Kitty's blue eyes searched out her on-again, off again boyfriend, Lance. He caught her looking, and gave her a wink as he passed the football off to his team mate, St. John (Pyro). Giggling, the brunette girl turned her eyes away from Lance and looked off around the pool. Next to her on the other lounges were Jean, Amara, Tabby and Jubilee, all stretched out to ensure the best tan. Nearby, the Professor and Magneto were playing chess on an outdoor table, while Hank watched. Ororo was just coming back outside, a tray of cool drinks in hand. She passed off a glass of what Kitty assumed was tea to Logan, who stood near the door, then continued on to set the tray down next to Hank, starting up a conversation with him as she retook her seat.

Over under an umbrella, so as to keep from burning, Wanda was on another of the pool lounges, clad in a one piece swimsuit in her trademark shade of red. Much to Kitty's surprise, Wanda was deep in a conversation with the X-men's own Goth princess, Rogue. Since a day or two ago, the relationship between the two girls had changed, and no one quite knew what had sparked it.

Finally, Tabby decided to break the silence. "This is the perfect way to spend summer vacay..." she said, turning over onto her back, and picking up the sun lotion. She wanted a tan, not to burn after all. Spreading a new coat over her arms, she let her eyes travel over to where the boys were. "I mean really...we've got a place to tan, a pool to cool off in, and some really hot guys to watch...How can it get better?"

Amara and Jubilee laughed as they nodded their agreement, while Jean smiled and let a perfectly sculpted eyebrow raise. "So long as you keep your hands off of the boys who are taken, stare all you like Tabby..."

"Please..." Tabby began, lowering her orange-rimmed sunglasses to look at Jean. "Boy scouts like Cyke are totally not my type..." That comment earned another laugh from Amara and Jubilee. "However...sexy bad boys like that Cajun totally are..."

"Really?" Kitty asked, sitting up. "I dunno...I think he has a thing for Rogue, Tabs..."

Tabby scoffed. "More like she has a thing for him...I mean the way she greeted him?"

Jean frowned. "Tabby," she said, her tone one of warning.

"Oh come on, Jean. You saw her totally jump at him when he showed up, didn't you?" Jubilee interjected, then turned to Amara. "We all did..."

Amara made a face at being pulled into the conversation. "I don't know...I mean, she just seemed glad to see him. It doesn't mean she _likes _him...right?" she asked, turning to Jean.

Jean nodded. "Exactly."

Kitty paused, wondering if what she wanted to say was revealing a confidence. "Well...I actually kinda teased her about liking him once."

All four girls turned to her. "Oh?" Jean asked. "What did she say?"

"She said he was too much of a ladies man for her," Kitty said. "I think he's more of a friend..."

Tabby gave a smirk at that. "Good...so he's totally unattached."

"Who is?" a new voice asked, causing all of the girls to jump.

"Rogue!" Kitty squealed in surprise, putting a hand over her heart. "You like, totally scared me, like half to death..."

Rogue just smirked and raised an eyebrow. "Who ya talkin' about Tabby?"

"The sexy Cajun..."

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Ah shoulda known..." She pulled over a chair, and sat down. "Thought ya'll mighta been talkin' about somethin' interestin, an' instead Ah find ya talkin' about th' same thing as always...boys."

Jean smiled at the Goth girl, glad she had come to join them. "Well, now that you're here, we can find something more interesting to talk about."

"HEY! Boys _are_ interesting!" Jubilee and Tabby protested.

"Well t'anks for dat petite," a smooth Cajun voice said, causing all eyes to turn in its direction. All further conversation on the girls' part was canceled at that moment. For, in front of them, in all his glory, was a shirtless Remy LeBeau. And oh what a sight he made...With not a spare ounce of fat on him, and a perfect six pack set of abs, he instantly became the newest object of obsession for at least three of the girls who were staring at him. Used to such a reaction from females, he gave a chuckle and bent to pick up the football that none of the girls had even noticed until then. He gave a wink to the younger three girls, sending them into a fit of giggles, then turned his attention to Rogue. "And how is ma Cherie dis fine day?"

Rogue managed to pull her eyes up from those glorious abs to meet his amused gaze. "Your dear?" She asked, her tone managing to hold its normal amount of bite, despite the fact she wanted nothing more than to smile at him for even asking. "Ah wasn't aware ya owned meh, Swamp Rat..."

All five of the other girls turned to look at her incredulously. How had she managed to not turn to a drooling mess at that Adonis-like figure? Remy, however, just laughed. "Désolé...Rogue, den. How is Rogue t'day?"

Now Rogue did grace him with a smile. "Ah'm just fahne, Cajun." She made a gesture towards him with one gloved hand. "Et tu?"

Remy's smile broadened. "Il est bon, très bon."

"Good," Rogue answered, letting her gaze turn to the other boys who were now watching them with interest. "Ah think yo' teammates are waitin' for th' ball, Cajun."

Shaking his head, Remy sighed. "Every time I speak t' ya, seems like ya tryin' t' get rid o' me..."

Her smile turned to a smirk as she answered. "Ya found meh out..." Rogue said with a snap of her fingers.

By now, the other girls were looking back and forth between Rogue and Gambit as if watching a tennis match. "Ya wound me, Chere."

Rogue groaned. "And we're back t' 'Chere'." She gave Remy what was definitely not her real glare. "Ah thought we already decided Ah'm not yours..."

"Ahh, but I didn' say _ma_ Chere, jus' Chere," he pointed out.

"True," Rogue conceded.

Remy took a moment to toss the ball over to Piotr, before turning back to Rogue. "Ya wanna get outta here fo' bit?" he asked, causing all eyes to turn to Rogue, awaiting her answer to what definitely sounded like a date invite (at least to the girls).

Rogue paused, trying to decide if getting away from the mansion for an hour or so was worth getting grilled by Kitty when she returned. Finally, those gray-green eyes lifted back to Remy's red-on-black ones. A slow smirk curved her lips. "Only if Ah get t' drive yo' bike..."

Remy hid his surprise and returned her smirk. "Meet ya in th' garage in 10, Chere."

**Driveway, right outside the garage, 15 minutes later -**

"Ya late..."

Remy's eyes turned to Rogue immediately, taking in the changes in her outfit. Out by the pool, she had been in a pair of yoga pants and a lightweight long-sleeved shirt. Now, her curvy figure was clad in a pair of dark wash jeans with the knees blown out, a jade green shirt, and a black leather jacket that ended mid-hip. "Désole, Chere," he said, sliding on a black leather jacket of his own. "Ran int' de Wolverine, an' had t' convince 'im I wasn' gonna kidnap ya..."

Rogue gave a brief chuckle. "Logan lahkes ta play th' ovah-protective parent..." she said, even as she let her gaze rake over him. He too had changed since the pool, going from a pair of black board shorts, to a pair of light blue jeans that had the knees out like hers, a plain white t-shirt and the jacket he had just put on. But what really drew her eyes was his hair. In the months since she had seen him, he had begun to grow it out, and now, instead of that stupid chili-bowl cut he had been sporting, his hair was closer to chin length, and framed that gorgeous face of his perfectly. As her eyes finally met his again, she noticed the smirk on his face, and rolled her eyes. He had checked her out...she was just returning the favor. Instead of saying anything, she instead settled on swinging one of her well toned legs over his bike, and settling herself into the seat.

Remy mounted the bike behind her a few moments later, and reached around her to start it up. He could feel a shiver run through Rogue's form, and wondered idly if it was from being so close to someone...an occurrence she usually avoided. But for once, he said nothing about her reaction, and instead pressed a helmet into her hands, before sliding one on himself. While he normally rode without a helmet, he had opted to do so this time, reasoning that it would keep Logan and the Professor off his back. Rogue turned and graced him with a brief smile before warning him to hold on tight. With only that warning, Rogue took off down the driveway quickly, seeming to know that the gates would open in time.

A few minutes into their speedy journey, Remy realized that he was likely bruising Rogue's hips and sides with his tight grip. It took a few more seconds, but he finally convinced his hands to loosen their hold to a more reasonable pressure. As if realizing she had managed to surprise him, Rogue allowed the bike to slow to a speed closer to the posted speed limit, and lowered one of her gloved hands to briefly touch his in reassurance. Remy gave a broad grin that went unseen beneath the helmet, and gave her hips a gentle squeeze. This time, he had trouble deciding if she had shivered at his touch, or if it was just the motion of the bike under them.

Remy had to assume another 15 minutes or so had passed when Rogue turned the bike off down a dirt path that led into a lightly wooded area. She slowed the bike, and finally brought it to a complete stop in a small clearing. Sensing this was where Rogue wanted to take her break from the mansion and not just a stop along the way, Remy went ahead and dismounted the bike. Ever the gentleman where ladies were concerned, he turned to Rogue and offered her a hand. She didn't even hesitate to slide her gloved hand into his, and let him assist her in getting off the motorcycle.

After removing his helmet, Remy gave the clearing a once over. "So where are we, 'xactly?"

Rogue paused in finger-combing her hair and glanced at him. "Middle o' nowhere...sorta. Its jus' a little place Ah lahke t' come sometimes...it's nahce'n quiet heah..."

Nodding, Remy moved to a fallen log and sat down. "Ya know, when I suggested getting' out o' de mansion, was t'inkin' more 'long de lines o' goin' for coffee o' somet'in..."

Rogue gave a soft laugh and lowered herself onto the same log as him. "Maybe 'nother time, Cajun," she said, then tilted her face up to the sunlight. "B'sides...the gals were raght...its beautiful out..." She gave a soft sigh of contentment. "Days lahke t'day remind meh o' bein' back in ole' Miss."

Watching her, Remy realized he was seeing her with her 'walls' as close to down as they likely ever were. Instead of answering her, he let the silence stretch, a cheesy line about the weather not being the 'only beautiful thing' dying before it could leave his lips. There was something about an unguarded Rogue that was breathtaking, and he had to wonder how many people actually got to see her like this. Truth was, after watching her around the mansion, he could only think of a handful of people who might have been graced with the sight of her as she was now. He had no way knowing that Scott had seen her this same way not too long ago, nor that Scott too had realized just how breathtaking she really could be. Finally, he chose to pick up the thread of conversation she had left him. "Dere certainly ain't not'in like de weat'er in de Sout', dat be certain," he said slowly. "But de Nort', 's not s' bad after ya get used t' it, suppose."

Rogue let her gray-green eyes open and settle on him. She considered him for a moment, as if perhaps she hadn't expected him to really continue talking about the weather. "Ah nevah thought Ah was gonna get used t' it up heah that first wintah...Just glad Ah nevah had t' suffah through at the Brotherhood house. Can ya imagine how cold it must get in tha' house?"

Remy gave an exaggerated shiver that made Rogue smirk. "Don' even wanna t'ink 'bout it, Chere."

Sighing, Rogue shook her head at him. "What is it with ya an' callin' meh 'Chere'?"

He at least had the grace to look appologetic. "Désole, Rogue. Guess it just be a habit o' Remy's." He grimaced. "Désole, 'gain. Used t' talk in t'ird person all de time t'. Still tryin' t' break dat habit."

She laughed now, briefly, but it was a real laugh, which made Remy smile. "Sugah, ya jus' keep tryin' t' dig yaself a biggah hole, don't ya?"

"Sugah?" Remy repeated, butchering it horribly with his Cajun accent. A slow grin crossed his lips. "I t'ink I like dat nick-name..."

Rogue blushed vividly, causing a pink hue to appear on her cheeks and neck, even with the thick makeup she wore. A gloved hand came up and started playing with her hair. "Ah haven't called anyone tha' in ages..." she murmured, surprised with herself. "Used ta use it a lot...back in Caldecott. B'fore...well, b'fore mah powers."

He gave a slow nod, allowing the grin to disappear. "Reckon dere be a lot dat changed after ya got yo' powers. Know lot changed after I got mine..."

Rogue shrugged, as if trying to keep the weight of the conversation from bothering her. "Hard t' act normal when ya ain't," she said simply.

"Oui," Remy muttered, then lifted a hand to brush his bangs away from his eyes. "Specially when dere somet'in markin' ya as not normal."

"Yo' eyes are amazin'," Rogue said before she caught herself. Deciding she had already said something, she gave him a small smile as she continued, "They're probably mah favorite thing about ya..."

Remy found himself humbled at her remark. "Merci, mon coquin doux." (thank you, my sweet rogue)

Rogue's blush was back full force. "C'est la vérité. Je souhaite que vous ne les cacher." (Its the truth. I wish you wouldn't hide them.)

Remy scooted towards her on the log and reached up to cup her face in his gloved hand. "Vous êtes un trésor rare. Je suis content d'apprendre à vous connaître." ("You are a rare treasure. I'm glad I get to know you."

All Rogue could do was smile.

**Xavier Mansion, Kitchen, around 5pm, same day -**

Scott sighed and leaned forward onto the kitchen table, putting his head in his hands. Honestly, he had a girlfriend who he adored, was going to a great local college come the fall, and had wonderful friends who he got to hang with pretty much 24/7. Why was life trying to throw a wrench in things? Ever since the night he had spent time with Rogue over pizza, he had found her lingering in the back of his mind. And unfortunately, his thoughts were not 100% platonic. He could've handled it if they were, he assured himself. It was the fact that he kept seeing her on that balcony, spotlighted by the moonlight, looking so beautiful and...And? He still couldn't put a name to the way she had looked at him that night, and he refused to think that Jean had been right about Rogue having a crush on him. Because if he admitted that she could be right, that meant he had been possibly hurting Rogue for quite some time by his ignorance. That would be unacceptable, and definitely win him the "worst friend" and "worst team leader" awards for the next 10 years, no contest. The sound of someone entering the kitchen had him looking up, and he sighed when he realized it was Kurt.

Kurt gave a brief glance to Scott before retrieving a Coke from the fridge. "Something bothering you, mein freund?" he asked, his German accent tainting the 'th' sounds of his words. He pulled out a chair with his tail as he opened the Coke, and sat down.

Scott thought about how to answer. Kurt and Rogue were siblings after all, and he knew that Kurt took his role as brother seriously. "Just girl trouble," he said after a moment.

Kurt raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Vith Jean?"

"Not exactly..." Scott muttered, though she could be a part of the issue if she realized how he had been thinking about Rogue.

"Who zen?" Kurt asked.

"Um...your sister, actually..." Scott answered, then found himself raising his arms to block the soda/spit mixture flying from Kurt's mouth in surprise. "Ugh, thanks for the shower dude..."

Kurt's yellow eyes seemed to glow as he frowned at Scott, ignoring the shower comment. "Exactly vhat do you mean?"

"Its nothing Rogue's done, I swear..." Scott said, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "Jean made a comment to me in passing that Rogue had a crush on me since her Brotherhood days, and its got me all...messed up," he admitted at length.

Kurt's frown disappeared, and he sighed. It took him a few moments to finally look at Scott again, and when he did, he pinned his friend with a pointed look. "Anzwer me truthfully...vhy does it have you 'messed up'?"

"Because she's been my friend all this time!" Scott exclaimed, then lowered his tone, realizing he might draw others to the kitchen if he shouted. "I care about her, and if she's had a crush on me all this time...the last thing I'd ever want to do is hurt her...especially if its just because I'm ignorant of how she really feels..." Scott groaned, lowering his head into his hands again. "She's been screwed with enough as it is...she deserves better from those of us who care about her. As a friend of course..." he added hastily at the end, hoping Kurt didn't notice the hesitation.

Kurt gave him a long look, and had Scott wondering if Kurt noticed the pause. "So...you're just worried zhat you might have hurt her...as a friend, ja?"

Scott frowned. Wasn't that what he had just said? Damn Kurt and his observing skills. "Look, even if it was anything else...it wouldn't change things...I'd still be with Jean..."

Kurt gave a small smirk, finally realizing a bit of interesting information. Scott had a crush on Rogue and wouldn't admit it! Oh how that could make things interesting! "Zen you can eizher ask Rogue if she has a crush on you, and if she says yes, apologize for hurting her. Or...you can ignore zhings, and continue to be happy vith Jean..." Shrugging, he rose from his chair and waved goodbye to Scott as he exited the kitchen.

Scott watched Kurt exit in disbelief. That was all Kurt could say on the subject? Really? Maybe he should have mentioned how he was suddenly...or ok, not so suddenly attracted to Rogue. Scott immediately vetoed that idea.. No...that would've just made a bigger mess of things, because surely Kurt would've ended up saying something to Kitty. And from there, the Mutant Manor gossip mill would run away with it, creating a huge non-existent love triangle between himself, Jean and Rogue. Sighing, he looked down at himself, only to realize he still had soda and spit all over his shirt. _Guess I'd better go shower and change before dinner, _Scott thought. _Maybe I can go for a walk later to try and clear my head of this mess..._

The sound of a door opening, followed by masculine laughter had him turning to look at the door that led to the garage. The sight that greeted him caused him to frown. Rogue was hanging on Remy's arm, her eyes bright with laughter, and tears running down her face, while Remy's laughter lingered in the air. To top it all off, Remy was looking at Rogue as if she was the most amazing woman ever. Scott didn't even stop to think about why it would bother him that someone else realized how wonderful Rogue was.

"Ah, Chere...ya got such a way wit' words..." Remy chuckled, those unusual eyes of his focused completely on her. A gloved hand raised to wipe at the tears of laughter streaming down her face, smearing the white face paint in the process and leaving behind a streak of rose-tinted skin.

Rogue finally caught her breath and smiled up at Remy, a true smile. "Gawd, Ah'm probably a mess now," she murmured, raising a hand of her own to her face, only to be stopped as Remy handed her a clean bandanna from his back pocket. "Thanks," she said, releasing his arm and walking to the sink. She wet the cloth, and proceeded to wipe off all of the white base makeup, leaving behind the same beautiful skin Scott remembered from before. It was as she reached for a towel to try her hands with that she spotted Scott, and froze. "Oh..." A light blush spread over her cheeks. "Hey Scott..."

Remy watched her reaction to Scott closely. The hours they had spent away from the mansion had found him learning all sorts of new things about the Goth X-girl, and he found himself with a renewed protective instinct where she was concerned. He knew of her crush on Cyke, just like everyone else. And that meant he would ensure that the leader of the X-men didn't hurt his Chere worse than he already had.

Scott didn't answer right away, but after a moment, he smiled at her. He was her friend...he should be happy she was so happy, right? "You missed a spot," he said in greeting, pointing at a spot on his own face near the jaw line. When she grabbed for the damp bandanna and wiped at the spot he had pointed to, Scott couldn't help but chuckle. It was such a Kitty or Amara thing for her to do, after all.

Rogue quit wiping at the spot and turned to Remy. "Is there really any left?" she asked him, obviously no longer trusting Scott after he had laughed.

Seeing the spot Scott had, Remy gave a slow smile. "Oui," he murmured, and reached out, taking the cloth from her. He gently wiped it along the area where the makeup remained until none was left, then used his still gloved hand to turn her face from left to right slowly, checking for more. "Bon, all clean now, ma Cherie," he assured her.

"Thanks," she answered, now a bit shy with both guys looking at her, not bothering to correct him this time on the 'ma Cherie'. Remy's expression she could identify. He cared for her, she knew, and was doing his best to be a very sweet and supportive best friend. Scott's expression left her in the dark though. In the few moments it had taken for Remy to ensure her base makeup was off, Scott's expression had gone from silent laughter to the stoic one he wore when he was feeling something he didn't want others to know about. That Stoic expression of his was one she'd love dearly to just slap off of his face. She much preferred it when he was open, as he generally was with her. Sighing, Rogue glanced at Remy. "Ah'm gonna go get cleaned up b'fore dinnah...Thanks for th' ride, an' lettin meh drive."

The fact she appreciated the conversation too went unsaid, but Remy smiled gently at her and nodded. "T'ink I might do de same, actually. An' ya welcome, ma douce. Was a good afternoon, non?"

Scott frowned. What was with this guy and all the French?

"Vous êtes le doux, mon ami. Je ne peux pas ... Je ne sais pas ce que je ferais sans toi," Rogue answered, a light blush on her face again, and unknowingly causing Scott's frown to deepen. He hadn't known she was fluent in French. (You're the sweet one, my friend. I can't...I don't know what I'd do without you.)

Remy almost grinned as his empathy alerted him to the fact that Scott was jealous. Ok, could the guy really not pick between the two girls? Honestly. It was no contest as far as Remy was concerned. If Scott didn't wise up soon, Rogue would be off the market. Instead of acknowledging Scott, he reached out and gently tugged her to him so he could hug her. She came easily, and wrapped her arms around him to return the hug, despite Scott standing there. Remy's smile stayed put as he hugged her, even as his gaze turned to Scott, who was watching them with something akin to disbelief. Oh, right...she didn't normally touch people...or hug them. That explained it.

Rogue slowly removed her arms from around Remy, and glanced at Scott before she headed for the door. "See ya'll at dinnah," she murmured, then left the two alone, as she headed upstairs.

Almost immediately after she left, Scott turned his stoic expression on Remy. "You two were gone a long time."

"Oui," Remy responded, moving to lean casually against a counter. "But we made sure t' be home fo' dinner. Knew de Prof an' Monsieur Claws 'd want de femme home by den."

Scott rolled his eyes, though Remy couldn't see it. He too leaned against a counter, but his arms folded over his chest kept it from looking casual. For the life of him, he couldn't figure this guy out. Sometimes Remy seemed like he wanted nothing more than to be a perfect friend to Rogue, but there were others (the times Scott was worried about) where Remy would watch her as if he wanted to...well, Scott didn't even want to think about it. Before he could finally bring himself to say something to the Cajun, another voice spoke up from the doorway.

"Scott, the Professor wants to speak to you," Kitty said, then paused as she took in the scene Remy and Scott made. "Um...I'll like, leave you to finish your conversation..."

Scott shook his head. "We're finished," he muttered, knowing better than to bother confronting Remy now. "Thanks, Kitty."

Remy smirked as Scott headed out of the kitchen, when he noticed Kitty still watching him. "Ya need somet'in else, petite?"

Kitty couldn't help but smile. "Well...I did want to, like, thank you, actually."

Remy titled his head to one side and grinned. "Oui? Wha' for?"

"I saw Rogue a minute ago, and she...she actually like, totally happy. Well...her version of happy." Kitty hesitated, then sighed. "She hasn't been happy here, not like she is since you showed up. So...I wanted to say thank you."

It was the second time in one day that Remy had found himself humbled by something someone said, and he wasn't sure how to react. So he settled for honesty. His pose relaxed, his grin turned to a gentle smile, and he looked almost boyish for a moment. "Merci petite. I'm glad de femme be happy...'S all I wan'."

Something unreadable passed over Kitty's face before she gave a bright smile. "I like totally knew you'd be good for her."

**A/N: **I'll leave it there so that I can update this. I hope you enjoyed it! Please PLEASE review. After so long away from writing, your feedback is critical to ensure I give you all something you enjoy. Have a great weekend! Oh, and I hope the translations didn't detract too much from reading...just didn't want you constantly scrolling up and down in the fic. LOL.


	7. Act I, Ch 6-Constant Craving

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Chapter 6, "Constant Craving"**_

**Author Notes: ****.Just posted Chapter 5 an hour ago, and am now starting on this one for you all. There will be a few songs mentioned again in following chapters, so you might want to open up "A-Z lyrics" or your fav search engine in another window/tab if you're going to want to see why the song is in here. Anyhow...Lets get on with the show! Oh yeah, this chapter picks up right at the end of Chapter 5. There are some review responses to peeps at the bottom, so please look for your name if you don't have an account!**

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred, Mystique), and my own unique Excalibur team...you'll find out who they are later.

**Xavier Mansion, Professor Xavier's office, 5:30 pm -**

There was a brief knock at the door, and the man known as Charles Xavier smiled, sensing a familiar mind outside his door. "Come in, Scott," he said, closing a file folder that resided upon his desk.

"You asked to see me Professor?" Scott asked as he entered the office, leaving the door cracked behind him.

"Yes. I've had to send Ororo and Hank down to the Morlock tunnels with some medical supplies, it seems they have a few of their number suffering from a bit of food poisoning."

Scott frowned. "They'll all be okay? It wasn't done intentionally was it?"

"Ororo and Hank will be able to figure out if it was intentional or not by examining the foods that were tainted, but yes, with proper medical attention they should all be fine...or at least that is our hope."

Nodding, Scott moved to sit in one of the chairs in front of Xavier's desk. "So, what is it you need me for?"

Xavier gave a warm smile. "Well, with Ororo gone, we're left in a bit of a bind for dinner. I've already got Kitty and Kurt spreading word that dinner will be a bit late, but I need someone...or rather a couple of someones who can go pick up the meal."

Scott looked confused briefly, but nodded at the Professor anyhow. "Of course. Where do I need to go?"

"I placed an order at the Italian restaurant in town for the X-men and New Mutants, but Erik is going to send Pietro for food for the Brotherhood and St. John." Charles gave a small smirk. "Apparently Pietro was given Pixie Stix earlier, and needs to burn off the energy."

Scott shuddered. Pietro on a sugar high? Dear God..."Who was that stupid that they let _him_ have sugar?"

"Apparently Bobby thought it would be a funny prank to give Pietro sugar, then turn him loose around Logan." Charles tried to hide his amusement here. "If not for Erik intervening, Logan likely would've locked the boy in the Danger Room."

"Probably not a bad idea..." Scott muttered. Shrugging it off, he glanced at the Professor. "So did you want me to take anyone in particular with me, or is it my choice?"

"Its whomever you'd like to accompany you," Xavier said, folding his hands on his desk. His pale blue eyes glanced to the clock on his desk. "You'd best go. I'd imagine the order will be ready soon."

Scott nodded, rising from the chair. He paused briefly. "Will I need to pay for the order or...?"

"No, its already taken care of," Xavier assured him.

Scott gave another nod, then left the Professor's office. Outside, he thought momentarily of who to ask, but really, there was only one person who's company he wanted. So, with a small smile playing on his lips, he headed for the stairs.

**Rogue and Wanda's Room -**

A knock on the door had Wanda rising from her bed, leaving a book resting with her place marked. Opening the door, her sapphire eyes appraised the leader of the X-men who stood before her. She honestly couldn't see why a girl like Rogue was attracted to such a clean-cut guy, but oh well. It wasn't her place to judge.

"I'd guess you're looking for Rogue?" Wanda asked before Scott could say a word.

Scott nodded, and gentleman that he was, he didn't try to look past Wanda or the half-open door to see if Rogue was in. Instead, he stood there, hands in his pockets, his ruby-shielded gaze on the girl in front of him. "Is she around?"

Wanda had just opened her mouth to speak when a Southern voice interjected from behind her. "Ah'm heah..." Rogue said, moving into Scott's line of sight. She must have showered in the brief time since he saw her in the kitchen, as her hair was hanging damp to her shoulders, and her face was completely clean of any make-up. "What do ya need?" She asked, even as her hands nimbly maneuvered the auburn portion of her hair into one of those 'claw' clips.

Wanda moved away from the door, leaving it open for Scott to come in, and he did. He glanced briefly at Wanda as she sat back on her bed and picked up her book, then returned his gaze to Rogue. "The Professor ordered dinner out, but needs someone to go pick it up...I thought you might want to come with me?" he asked, trying to keep his tone casual.

Rogue frowned, reaching for the deep plum colored shirt on her bed. She pulled it on over her black sleeveless top, then reached for her gloves. "Why isn' Ororo makin' dinnah?"

"She and Hank had to go down to the Morlocks. Apparently a few of them have food poisoning."

Rogue nodded slowly in understanding. She then gave Scott the warm if small smile that seemed reserved just for him. "Sure, Ah'll go with ya." She turned to grab her black Converse from where she had tossed them the day before, and sat to pull them on. "Want meh t' meet ya in the garage?"

Glad she had said yes, Scott returned her smile. "I'll just wait, if all you need to do is pull on your shoes."

Rogue shrugged, tying up the laces on one shoe. "Thought ya might need t' let Jean know ya was headin' out..."

Scott rolled his eyes behind the shades. "I don't always let her know _everything,_" he protested, noticing Wanda had a smirk on her lips that mirrored Rogue's. "Besides, if I did want to let her know, she _is _a telepath. I don't have to hunt her down."

Rogue gave a brief laugh. "Ya are so whipped, Scott..."

With a frown that was very nearly a pout, he folded his arms over his chest. "Gee, thanks...so good to know what you think of me, Rogue."

Standing, Rogue crossed to Scott and rested a hand on his crossed arms. "Ya know Ah gotta tease ya," she said simply, then gave a brief wave to Wanda. "Ah'll talk t' ya latah, gal."

Wanda nodded, giving Rogue a pointed look that Scott couldn't figure out. "Yes, you will."

Rogue rolled her eyes, then grabbed hold of Scott and all but dragged him out of the room, causing him to laugh. "Gee, in a hurry of a sudden?"

"Jus' Wanda and her assumptions," Rogue said, clearing up absolutely nothing for him.

"Right...Well I'll just leave that between you two then, shall I?"

Rogue glanced at Scott as she finally released her hold on him. "Sorry...Ah'm bein' vague, Ah know. Its just somethin' she an' Ah've talked about b'fore."

"Let me guess, you don't want to talk about it?" Scott asked.

She gave him a grateful look as they walked down the stairs, knowing he was going to drop the topic now. "Thanks."

"So...what _do_ you want to talk about?"

Rogue mulled over the question, as they reached the bottom stair and headed for the garage. She gave a small wave to her brother when she noticed him watching her and Scott, then turned her attention back to Scott. "Um...Ah dunno," she said finally.

Scott let her go ahead of him as they reached the kitchen, then moved ahead to open the door to the garage for her. It was such a mix of his gentlemanly and 'boy scout' traits that Rogue found herself sporting 'Scott's' smile...the one that was just for him. In response, he gave that boyish grin, and shut the door behind them. "Well...lets see," he began. "We can talk about the weather," he joked, getting her to make a face. "Or we can talk about sports." Rogue made another face, and smacked Scott on the arm. "Ow," he muttered, bringing up his hand to rum at the spot she hit. "Ok, I get it...no small talk." Scott opened the passenger door for Rogue to slide in, and shut it behind her.

Rogue watched Scott walk over to the driver's side as she searched for a safe topic of conversation that wasn't quite small talk. A wicked smile crossed her lips just as Scott opened his door and settled into the driver's seat. "Ah know...how about we talk about how ya been avoidin' a racquetball rematch with meh..."

Scott squirmed a bit under her smile and piercing green gaze as he started up the car. It was then he noticed something. "Ok, I know I'm changing subjects here...but...aren't your eyes normally gray?"

Rogue raised an eyebrow, but then gave a sigh when Scott didn't relent. "Sometimes they are..." She looked over into the side mirror, seeing her green eyes reflected, a startling shade somewhere between jade and emerald.

Scott took her pause as a good time to finally move the car from the garage, and kept silent, giving her time to arrange her thoughts. But he couldn't help but look at her again, and wonder what those eyes would look like if they weren't tinted red.

"Mah eyes used t' always be green, back b'fore mah powahs kicked in. But seems lahke th' more Ah absorb people, th' more often they're gray. Professah reckons th' reason they still go green sometimes is cause th' psyches aren't always so active. But that's just a guess..."

Scott nodded slowly, absorbing what she told him. It was sad that her powers were taking something away from her that had been a part of her since she was born. But then, he doubted one could really count the ways her powers had taken things away from her. Out loud, he mused, "Being a mutant can really suck, can't it?"

Rogue gave a dry laugh. "Tell meh 'bout it, sugah..."

Scott nearly ended up grinding the gears of his car when she called him "sugah." It was unexpected to say the least, and sent a tingle down his spine at the way the endearment rolled off of her tongue. Speaking of her tongue..._No, no, no...BAD Scott..._Scott scolded himself. _Just be thankful Jean isn't with you, _he mused silently. None the less, he was stuck with an image of himself and Rogue kissing, and he found he didn't really want to be rid of the image. _At least that's all you pictured, _he thought to himself. His eyes slid to her, and he found her watching him.

"Ya okay, Scott?" Her gloved hand reached across the center console to touch his shoulder, and her eyes showed her concern.

"Yeah...yeah..." he reached up and patted at her hand, smiling gently. "Sorry, just um...well...I've never heard you call anyone that before."

Rogue ducked her head and removed her hand from his shoulder. "Yeah...just somethin' Ah used t' call people Ah was close t'...ya know...before mah powahs."

Scott found a new smile working its way across his face. It wasn't the one he normally gave Rogue, but it was definitely going to be from now on. The fact that she hinted that she felt close to him...well, it caused an odd sensation in the vicinity of his heart. A sensation he didn't want to examine too closely, at least not yet. Instead of answering, he reached for her hand and gave it a brief squeeze of understanding, then turned his attention back to the road, just in time to make the turn for the Italian place the Professor had mentioned.

The two didn't speak much as the retrieved the food and got it settled into the car in such a way it wouldn't make a huge mess, and it wasn't until they were both buckled in and turning back onto the main road that Rogue finally really looked at Scott again. "Ya know...ya nevah did answer meh about the racquetball"

Glad for a safe topic that wouldn't have him thinking of her in non-friend ways, Scott laughed. "And here I was starting to think you had forgotten about that."

"Ya know bettah than t' think Ah'd forget about somethin' where Ah get t' kick yo' ass." She hesitated for a moment, then added, "Ah miss our games."

Reminded of her comment about him avoiding her after her powers went crazy, Scott flinched. "I'm sorry. I guess after that last game, I keep thinking of what happened to you after. But I miss the games too," he said. "You're the only other person in the mansion who doesn't mind having an extra work out, on top of the Danger Room sessions."

"Remy lahkes workin' out too," Rogue said before she could stop herself, then winced. "Sorry, Ah know ya ain't really fond o' him."

Scott sighed heavily. "Its not that I don't like him...I don't know him well enough to say one way or the other. But...What I do know, it makes it hard for me to trust him. Especially around you...and the other girls."

Rogue smirked. "He does have a rep with ladies, doesn't he?" she asked, then let the smirk fade. "But Ah do know there's more t' him...Ah've seen it," she added, tapping her head.

Scott gave a snort of amusement. "Saying he has a rep is putting it mildly. But if you say there's more to him, I trust you. Just...don't expect me to suddenly be best buds with him," he added, turning the car onto the drive of the mansion, and keying in the security code to open the gate.

Rogue found herself sporting 'Scott's smile' again. "Ah appreciate it...him bein' heah...its helped meh. It really has."

Scott put the car into park, then reached over to give her hand a squeeze again. "I'm glad."

"You two need a hand getting the food in?"

Scott's head swiveled immediately towards the feminine voice, only to find his red-headed girlfriend standing in the door of the garage watching him and Rogue. It was then he noticed the smile on Rogue's face was gone, and her eyes were gray with only a hint of the jade. Fighting the urge to sigh, Scott nodded at Jean. "Yeah, that'd be great Jean."

Rogue let herself out of the car, and gave a half-smile in Jean's direction. "Ah think th' Professah ordered enough food t' last us a week...well...if Fred wasn't heah that is..."

Scott gave a chuckle as he hefted one of the trays of lasagne out of the back seat. "Well, at least it smells good." He glanced in Rogue's direction, hoping to get a smile out of her again. "Better than Kitty's attempt at Italian, that's for sure."

Rogue grimaced, remembering Kitty's last attempt in the kitchen. Right after the whole fiasco with Apocalypse, Kitty had given Ororo a night off from cooking and had tried to make spaghetti. Tried being the operative word. Half of the pasta had been raw, the other half over-cooked (a feat no one knew how she managed to this day), and the sauce...well...no one had been able to stomach more than a bite or two, even with Kitty watching them, a hopeful expression on her face. Since then, Kitty had been banned from the kitchen to cook for others, unless supervised.

Lifting multiple containers out of the car with her telekinesis, Jean gave Scott a mild glare. "At least she was trying to be thoughtful and help Ororo out."

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Yeah, th' thought was there, but Kit needs t' learn that cookin' ain't her strong point." She lifted two of the bags from the floorboard of the back of Scott's car, then glanced at Jean. "An' don't even think o' glarin' at meh. Ya know Ah lahke Kitty, she's hard not t' lahke. But she's a hell o' a lot bettah with computers than she is food."

Scott nodded in agreement as he opened the door for the two girls, then followed them through the kitchen into the dining room. "Agreed." He glanced at Rogue briefly. "After that stir-fry you and Ororo made, I think I'd much rather see you in the kitchen."

Rogue gave a small smile in his direction. "Irene didn't do much cookin', so once Ah was big 'nough t' reach th' stove, Ah taught mahself."

This was the first time Jean had ever heard Rogue mention her former guardian, or open up much at all in her presence. As such, Jean kept quiet for once, her bright green eyes watching the by-play between her boyfriend and the Goth.

"Really?" Scott asked as he began helping Jean arrange the trays so everyone could serve themselves. "I bet you make some mean Southern cuisine then."

Rogue's eyes brightened, and Jean was startled to notice the green bleeding into the gray of her iris'. "Ya bet Ah do..."

"Well, we'll have to talk Ororo into letting you take over the kitchen one night then," Scott said, smiling his new 'Rogue's smile.'

Now Rogue turned a bit shy, and her eyes shifted briefly in Jean's direction. "Maybe," she murmured. After a brief pause, she looked back to Scott. "Ah'll go get th' last o' th' stuff from th' car..."

Scott nodded, knowing she wanted a moment to herself. "That's fine. We'll finish getting this set up."

Once Rogue had left the room, Jean glanced at her boyfriend. "Ok, did I imagine it, or did her eyes really start to change color?"

"You didn't imagine it. Just...I'll tell you about it later ok? I doubt its something she wants everyone to know, and people are going to be coming in soon."

Nodding, Jean idly fixed a place setting that Jamie had done incorrectly. '_It seems like I keep catching you two at the wrong time,' _Jean sent over their link, sensing that as Scott had said, others were starting to make their way to the dining room.

Scott gave a sigh over the link as he placed a small container of Veggie lasagne near where Kitty normally sat. There really wasn't anything he could say to that. A clamor of voices had him glancing to the doorway just as Kitty, Kurt and a few of the New Mutants entered. He felt Jean's silent question via their link, but just gave a small shake of his head in response. He wasn't in the mood for this now. If only he could have some time to himself to work things out in his own mind.

"Man, something smells good," Evan said from the doorway, effectively bringing Scott from his thoughts.

"Ya need a hand dere, Chere?" Remy asked, alerting Scott to the fact that Rogue was entering from the kitchen with her arms laden with the last 4 bags from the car.

Rogue gave the Cajun a grateful look and passed two of the bags off to him, then moved to the table to empty the two she had. As she started to space the containers of extra sauce, cheese and salads along the table, her eyes turned to Scott for a moment, and caught him watching her. Curious, she raised an eyebrow at him in silent question, only to receive a small smile from him in return. She returned the smile, then turned to set the bags on a side table just as the Professor and Logan entered the dining room.

"Thank you Scott, Rogue, for going and picking up dinner for us," Xavier said, giving the two students a smile.

Scott, of course, answered first. "Not a problem, sir."

As he took a seat, St. John snorted at Scott's prompt response, earning him a glare from the same boy he was mocking. "Boyscout," St. John muttered, causing the Brotherhood boys to start laughing.

This time it was Rogue who cast a glare, but not just at St. John, all of the Brotherhood boys. Lance, Fred and Todd immediately stopped their laughter, having learned the hard way not to upset Rogue. Pietro stopped shortly after; it was enough that Wanda sometimes wanted him dead. No need to piss off another Goth who could kill him. St John, however, just smirked at Rogue. "Gonna do somethin' 'bout it, sheila? Or ya just gonna glare at me?"

Rogue's glare turned into a wicked smile, one that sent shivers down the spine of anyone who happened to be in the path of it. "Oh, Ah'd do somethin' alright," she began, gray-green eyes settled square on the Aussie. "But Ah reckon th' Professah would rathah not have a commotion at dinnah. Don't worry tho. You'll get yours next dangah room session..."

Pyro grinned widely at the challenge. "Oh, you just try, sheila. I look forward to it."

"Dude, you're nuts," Todd (Toad) said from his spot a couple seats away. "You do remember she took out Wolverine single-handedly right?"

By now, most of the X-men were smirking, looking forward to seeing someone take on the resident Fire-bug. But Xavier decided it was time to end this. "Children," he said, even as he fought to keep a smile off his face. "Lets sit and eat this nice meal before it gets cold. You can worry about the danger room tomorrow."

There was a general mutter of agreement, but most still held smiles on their faces as the sat down to eat. Scott glanced at Rogue a few minutes later, as she passed a bowl of the cheese to him across the table. When he mouthed a silent "thank you" to her, he watched the green slowly bleed into the gray of her eyes, and she smiled softly. She didn't bother to tell him "you're welcome." There was no need.

**(A/N: **Ok, time for a quick time jump here. Gotta pick up the pace a bit!)

**Rec Room, 2 weeks later -**

"Oh come on, we've seen The Matrix like 20 million times!"

"Its awesome, so who cares how many times we've watched it?"

"Please, you want awesome you watch The Fast and the Furious, not Matrix."

"Non, awesome is Gone in 60 Seconds..."

"You only say that because it involves stealing stuff."

Gambit rolled his eyes at Roberto. "Mebbe, but it also has fast cars, and Angelina Jolie...dat beats Matrix by a mile, mon ami."

"He's got a point dude. Jolie is _way _hotter than the chic in Matrix. I don't even know her name," Evan said from his spot in an easy chair.

Ray sighed. "But its the Matrix! I mean, come on, Nicholas Cage is how old? And he's still doing action flicks?"

Scott sighed. "When are you guys gonna learn that age does not make the action star anymore? I mean look at Bruce Willis and Sylvester Stalone."

There was a snort of laughter from Lance. "Cyke, those guys haven't made a good movie in ages."

"Yeah, but they can still do the stunts."

"Ok, you have a point there," Lance admitted. "So we're trying to choose between what movies now?"

Roberto held up his fingers and counted movies off one by one. "Matrix, The Fast and the Furious, Gone in 60 Seconds, Ocean's Twelve, or Shrek 2"

"Wait, who put Shrek 2 in there?"

"That would be Jamie," Roberto said, glancing at the youngest of the guys, who was smiling and swinging his legs from his spot on the couch.

"Right..." Pietro said, rolling his eyes. "I thought you said you guys had a good movie collection. Those movies aren't that great."

"Well, its either have a movie day or do our own things," Scott stated, glancing out of the doorway to the windows that faced the front of the mansion. It had started raining two days ago, and had yet to let up at all, causing any and all outdoor activity to come to a screeching halt. "And sorry, but I can only stand so much of the same four walls of my room for so long."

Most of the other guys nodded in agreement. Their rooms were fine to hang out in most of the time, but not when it was on a short list of options for 3 days straight. After the third room-mate fight broke out earlier that day, it had been "suggested" that they find other entertainment, or Logan would have them testing out a new Danger Room SIM.

"Yeah, well you've been spending all your time the past two days with Red or Rogue, so I don't think you've seen much of your own room, Cyke," Bobby pointed out, shuffling a few DVDs between his hands as he considered them.

"Its a crime to spend time with my girlfriend and best friend now?" Scott asked, causing a few startled looks when he referred to Rogue as his 'best friend.'

"Since when is the Ice Queen your best friend?" Ray asked.

"Ice Queen?" Scott and Remy asked in perfect unison, their expressions and poses starting to change.

"Uh," Ray seemed to realize he had committed a major 'uh oh,' and stumbled over words, trying to fix his mistake. "Sorry, its just what a lot of guys at school call her...and I mean, it does kinda fit how she treats us younger guys."

Remy's gaze went from mildly irritated to flat out pissed, and he pushed himself away from the wall he'd been leaning on, not wanting to charge it without meaning to. "Mon ami, ya just diggin' yaself a bigger hole," he said, eyes taking on a deadly glow.

Kurt's tail began to twitch, and his yellow eyes gleamed. "Meine Schwester has never treated you in a vay you didn't deserve, Ray."

"Ya know what," Bobby said, standing and grabbing Ray by his arm. "I think Ray and I are gonna go play some basketball in the gym," he gave Ray a steely look. "Right?"

Ray looked between Remy, Scott and Kurt, all of whom looked ready to commit serious bodily injury to him, and nodded. "Yeah...right..."

Once Bobby had steered Ray from the room, with Roberto following, Lance looked to Scott. "Man, if I was you, I would've blasted his ass. Rogue can be a bitch, yeah, but if she is, you did something to deserve it. Even us guys know that," he said, gesturing between himself, Pietro, Todd and Fred.

Scott took a deep breath, feeling his powers raging behind eyes, which he had shut not long after Ray called Rogue 'Ice Queen.' Once he felt he was in control again, he opened them. He walked to where Roberto had put the movies they had been debating over, grabbed one at random and stuck it into the DVD player. A few people opened their mouths to say something, and Scott raised an eyebrow. His normal "leader" persona took over, and he folded his arms over his chest. "We have all afternoon, plus after dinner for movies. We'll get through at least 3 of the choices, and we can watch the others tomorrow."

Slowly the other boys nodded, and Scott moved to sit down next to Kurt and Evan. As 'Ocean's Twelve' started on the TV, Evan glanced at Scott. "Man, I didn't know who was gonna do the most damage to Ray. Us, the Brotherhood guys, or Magneto's lackeys."

Confused, Scott looked at Evan. "What?" he whispered back.

"Yeah, all the Brotherhood were ready to pound into him, and even Remy, Peter ((Piotr)) and St. John looked murderous. Seems like Rogue has herself a fan club..."

**After dinner, same day -**

"So what movies did you guys watch earlier?" Kitty asked as the boys made room for the girls in the Rec Room.

"Ocean's Twelve and Shrek 2," Jamie said as he helped Bobby pull the throw pillows out of a cabinet in the corner of the room and toss them onto the floor.

Jean settled herself onto the loveseat, smiling as Scott sat down beside her. "What other movies had you all pulled to watch?"

"Mostly guy movies," Scott admitted, lifting the remaining 3 titles for view.

The more 'girly' girls made faces, causing Tabby to laugh. "How can you say no to those movies? Ok, so Matrix is a bit short on the eye candy, its still not that bad. The Fast and the Furious is awesome, and has some really hot guys in it, and Gone in 60 Seconds...well...I haven't seen that one before."

From her spot in an arm chair, Rogue turned her attention away from the book in her hands. "Gone in 60 Seconds is cool," she began, gaining her instant attention.

"Ya've seen de movie Chere?"

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Obviously, Cajun."

Remy gave a smooth grin and moved over to stand near her, his partially gloved hand resting on the back of her chair as he leaned down. "You like cars?"

Rogue leaned her head back to look up at Remy, and a grin began to curve her lips. For a moment, she forgot the others were watching, and let her mask fall. "Ya ain't figured that out yet, sugah?" she asked. A gloved hand reached up and patted him on the cheek in a condescending manner. "Maybeh ya ain't as good as ya think ya are..."

Remy's grin widened and he leaned down further, putting only a few inches between them. "Chere, believe me, I am as good as I t'ink I am..." He paused for a moment, brushing a strand of hair from her face without her flinching. "Any time ya wanna find out fo yo'self, ya let me know."

"Bébé, vous serez en attente depuis longtemps." (Baby, you'll be waiting a long time.)

"Peut-être, mais vous seriez bien la peine d'attendre." (Maybe, but you'd be well worth the wait.)

After another few moments of watching Rogue and Remy, who were now just smirking at each other, Tabby spoke up. "Am I the only one who had no idea what the hell they just said?"

"No, I'm pretty sure they lost all of us when they switched to French," Wanda said, a small grin on her face. "Not that they recall we're here."

Slowly, and rather creepily, Rogue turned her head to face Wanda. Her eyes were an almost even mix of gray and green, and they seemed lit from within, making her look even more creepy ((read: crazy scary)) to those watching. "Oh, Ah know ya still heah," Rogue said, her smirk still in place. "Ah'm just waitin' for Kitty t' explode..." She glanced to her former roommate, eyebrow raised. "And 3...2...1..."

"Did you call him 'sugar?'!" Kitty exclaimed, now that it had sunk in what she was hearing and seeing. She gave a squeal. "I, like, so knew you totally liked him!"

Rogue started laughing, causing the brotherhood boys to back up. Nothing good ever started, or ended for that matter, with Rogue laughing when she was at the Brotherhood house. St. John got a manic grin as he watched her. This shiela was crazy as hell...and he loved it! Watching how everyone reacted to her was almost enough to convince him he should stick around. It was like free entertainment, and ideas for the novels he wrote.

"Um, are you ok Rogue?" Evan asked after a few moments of Rogue's laughter, causing her to stop.

Her eyes took in the mood in the room, and she glanced at Remy, smirking again. "Gawd, they look nervous don't they?"

"Well, you do look rather peculiar, dear," a smooth voice said from the doorway. Once glance revealed it was Mystique, back from whatever mission she had been on for the past 3 weeks. Mystique leaned against the doorway casually, clad for once in a fairly normal outfit of jeans and a white t-shirt. "Charles would like to speak with you, Rogue."

Rogue frowned, half wondering why the Professor hadn't called for her telepathically, but dismissing it. She marked her book, then passed it off to Remy, who slid it into a pocket on his trench coat for safe keeping. "Alraght," she said, righting herself in the chair, then standing. "Ah guess Ah'll just catch th' next movie, guys."

Scott watched Rogue leave the room, and be followed out by Mystique, with some confusion. It wasn't like the Professor to request a student's presence so late in the evening unless something was wrong, and that worried him. Rogue had been through enough lately, the last she needed was another upset. As he slowly tuned back into the room around him, he found that Rogue's exit had been mostly written off by the rest of the students. Only a choice few, like Kurt and Kitty, were also looking at the doorway, confusion and worry clear in their expressions.

"Ok," Bobby said, stepping over to the DVD player. "We're gonna start a movie guys, get comfy!"

"Wait, we didn't vote on it!" Amara protested, even as she settled herself back down on one of the throw pillows.

"Its ok, 'Mara," Roberto reassured her. "We took a few movies we knew you girls liked and 'shuffled' them, then Bobby took one out blind."

The 'girly' girls pacified, everyone got comfortable just as Bobby skipped ahead to the disc menu of the movie, revealing that he had chosen 'Coyote Ugly.' A cheer went up from pretty well everyone, and before long, the only sounds left were those of the movie and the occasional muffled comment to a friend.

**Same time, Professor Xavier's Office -**

"You're sure we should tell her first?" Hank asked, even as he stirred some sugar into his cup of coffee.

"Yes," Erik said, uncrossing his legs and looking to the resident Doctor. "Of all of the students, you know her position is the most precarious. She has unlimited potential, and no way to control it."

"Exactly," Xavier interjected. "Moira is quite sure that if Rogue was able to get control of her powers, that no one would be able to control the girl again."

"In other words, no repeats of the Mesmero crap?" Logan asked.

Charles Xavier couldn't help but chuckle at Logan's blunt nature. "Yes, Logan, that is what we're saying."

A sudden knock at the door silenced them, and Xavier gently used his telepathy to see who it was. "Come in Rogue, Raven."

The door opened, and Rogue entered slowly, her eyes taking in that every adult was present. "Am Ah in some sorta trouble?" she asked cautiously, even as she moved to a chair in front of the desk.

"Not at all, Rogue," Ororo said soothingly from her place next to Hank on the loveseat to the left of Xavier's desk.

Nodding, Rogue lowered herself into a chair, then turned her eyes to the Professor, though it was obvious from her stiff posture that she was very aware of the presence of the others.

"The reason you, and all of us are here, Rogue, is because there is something we need to talk to you about."

Rogue's eyebrows quirked in silent question.

"Have you ever heard me mention an old friend of mine, a Dr. Moira McTaggert?"

For a brief moment, Rogue's eyes glazed over, and a small frown flitted over her features. Then, her expression cleared. "McTaggert?" Rogue repeated, then nodded slowly. "Ah think Ah remember somethin' about her from yo' memories...she's in...Scotland, right?"

Xavier smiled, nodding. "Yes, she is. And she's become quite an expert on mutants, and has been able to help some rather...difficult cases achieve control..." Xavier let it trail off, his pale blue eyes focused on Rogue, waiting for a reaction. He didn't have to wait long.

"Control..." Rogue murmured, her eyes going wide. Slowly, the green began to bleed into the gray, as was happening more and more often of late. "Are ya sayin' she might be able t' help meh?" The hope in her voice was obvious, and caused the other adults in the room to curse the fact that they themselves could do nothing for her.

"It is a possibility," Erik said from his spot behind Charles and to his left. "There are...issues, though."

"What kinda issues?" Rogue asked quickly.

"Moira would need to do some tests of her own on you, despite having a copy of our file on you," Hank said, causing her head to turn to him.

"Tests?" She said, wary. Like Logan, Erik and her mother, she was very cautious of anyone who did tests with mutants. Her eyes turned to the Professor, not wanting to think he would be friends with a monster who experimented on mutants.

"Not those kinda tests, Stripes," Logan reassured her, moving from his spot behind her to place a hand on the chair where it would just brush her shoulder. Just enough contact to sooth her, but not enough to spook.

Rogue nodded absently, still watching the Professor. "So what kinda tests?"

"Moira has developed some machines of her own, along with help from a mutant, who, like Forge is very technologically inclined. Apparently they are the key to her success with other mutants."

"So...Ah'm gonna go out on a limb heah with th' way you're talkin' and say those machines ain't exactly portable..."

"That would be correct," Erik said dryly, even though he appreciated the girl's way with words.

Rogue glanced around the room briefly, then let her eyes, which were now completely green, settle on the Professor again. "So if Ah want her help...Ah'd have t' leave th' institute?"

"Temporarily, yes," Xavier said, emphasizing the 'temporarily.' "Which is why we decided to bring this up now, before the school year gets any closer. This would be your senior year after all."

"So ya think Ah could do it b'fore school starts?" Rogue asked.

"We wouldn't know until Moira ran the tests, dear," Mystique said, speaking up for the first time since they had entered the office. "But you see...Irene has had a vision of you with complete control, not only of your own power..." Mystique ignored the warning look from the Professor, and moved to Rogue's line of sight. "But also of every power you've ever and will ever absorb."

Rogue went very still, her eyes now on the woman who had adopted her. It took a few moments, but finally Rogue found her voice. "Really?" Was all she could think to ask.

The Professor fought the urge to sigh and nodded at Rogue. "Yes. Really," he allowed a small smile to form on his lips. "I've thought it might be possible ever since your power surge," he admitted.

Rogue nodded, dazed.

"Rogue?" Hank questioned, gaining her attention. "We'd like to give you a few days to think about this..."

She seemed confused, and looked to her mother, then the Professor.

"We all know you desperately want control, Rogue," Xavier began, folding his hands on top of the desk. "Its just a matter of you deciding whether you want to go to Scotland for however long it takes, and if you do want to go, do you want to go before school starts, or perhaps wait until after your graduation."

Rogue looked at Xavier as if he was crazy for suggesting she wait until after graduation. "There ain't much t' considah, suh." She said, accent thicker in her emotional state. "If there's a way Ah c'n quit bein' used against mah friends an' family...Then it ain't a mattah of if, its a mattah of how soon c'n Ah go?"

Her words about the X-men being her friends and family made Xavier's heart swell. He had tried so hard to find a way to help her, and in his failure, had begun to question how happy she really was among them. Her words reassured him that, no matter his failure as a Professor and Doctor with this girl, he had at least succeeded in allowing her to see him as a caring guardian. "Then I will contact Moira and ask her how soon she could be ready for you."

Rogue hesitated, then asked, "Will Ah...Ah mean...when...?" She seemed unable to form a sentence, and looked to Xavier, opening her mind to him briefly so he could see the question she wanted to ask.

"We will inform the others tomorrow, after I've spoken to Moira."

Rogue nodded slowly, a small smile forming on her lips as it started to sink in that she wasn't dreaming; there might really be a way for her to gain control. "When Ah do go...will Ah go alone, or?"

The rest of the question was left unsaid, but Professor Xavier smiled at her, understanding. "I will, of course, accompany you to Muir Island, and depending on when we go, perhaps a few others as well."

Rogue let the smile that had started to form grow. "Thank ya..." It was hard to say who in the room was more surprised when they realized her eyes were shining with unshed tears, but no one said a word. "Thank ya so much..."

Xavier found his own eyes growing a bit damp as he saw flickers of what was passing through Rogue's mind...thoughts of her 'family,' and a joy that made him glad he had convinced the others that Rogue should be made aware of the options. He maneuvered his chair around the desk, and reached for one of Rogue's gloved hands. "I only wish I had the power myself, to have helped you much sooner, my dear."

Rogue said nothing. There was no need. With her mental shields down, Xavier could see and sense all she couldn't say. Knowing that she needed time to herself, he squeezed her hand briefly, then released it. "Go on," he said, his usual reassuring smile in place. "Take a few moments to yourself, and then go watch movies with the others. A few are wondering where you are," he finished.

Rogue nodded, and slowly stood up. Her eyes glanced over to the other adults, and she smiled briefly at them. Her mouth opened a few times as if she wanted to say something, but eventually she gave up, and turned towards the door.

Mystique went to call to her, but a hand on her arm stopped her, and she glanced to Erik, angry and confused. He shook his head at her first, but once the door had shut behind Rogue, his blue eyes focused back on the shape-shifter. "Let her be, Raven," he cautioned. "She's only just beginning to accept your presence here."

Mystique's golden eyes flared in annoyance, as she looked at her former employer and lover (1). "She's still my daughter," she said, though she sat down in the chair Rogue had just vacated.

"Yes," Ororo said, her sapphire eyes showing some small amount of compassion, though she still wasn't fond of the shape-shifter. "But she also needs time to move past all of the things that you...and others...have put her through. You can not force her."

Sighing heavily, Mystique nodded, and put her head in her hands. "I know."

**A/N: **So I'll end it there. This comes in at 11 pages and over 7k words. The longest chapter since my return, complete! I hope you all enjoy, and it won't be long until we're on Muir Island, and meeting my version of Excalibur. Reviews are my food, my wonderful readers! I'm at over 5,700 hits, and have many wonderful followers and favorites. You all have made me smile! Until next time!

**1: **Don't recall if it was true in the comics, but with as much as she's been around Magneto, I see them having been lovers at some point in the past. *shrug* Just my thought.

**Review mentions:**

"**Guest" - **I'm glad you like this so much, and don't rule out this ending up Scogue. There are far too few out there, after all. And you're not the last fan of the couple, I still look for stories about them all the time. I can see Scott and Remy ending up friends, provided the right circumstances, and I hope to show that. Hope to hear from you again!

**Anonymous136 – **I don't know about that...Yes he's the only one who can "steal" her heart, but who says it has to be stolen for her to be in love?


	8. Act I, Ch 7-Closer to the Edge

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Chapter 7, "Closer to the Edge"**_

**Author Notes: ****I said last chapter that reviews are wonderful, and I was so right. I had numerous people add this story, me or even other stories of mine to alerts and favorites last night after Chapter 6 was posted. Completely made my night! So, now the plot is beginning to move along, and it won't be long until we move on to Muir Island. I will still show some scenes of the X-men while we're "away," don't worry! So, lets get on with the show, shall we?**

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred, Mystique), and my own unique Excalibur team...you'll find out who they are later.

**Morning after end of Ch. 6, Boy's Dorms, Scott & Remy's Room:**

"Did you notice somezing different about Rogue vhen she got back from talking to ze Professor?" Kurt asked Scott. He had come in early to speak to his friend, having not slept well, worry about his sister keeping him up.

Scott paused the act of putting on his t-shirt, and looked to Kurt, noting absently that he and Kurt were sporting the same expression; worry for a teammate and close friend. "Yeah, I did. It was like she was there, but not."

Kurt nodded, his tail flicking from side to side quicker than normal, a hint to his emotional state. "I just vish she'd talk to me," Kurt said, his head drooping now. He had a brief thought and looked at Scott closely. "You've been spending more time vith her...Has she said anyzing to you about how she is?"

Scott sighed, now fully dressed, and pulled his desk chair over so he could talk with Kurt. "Not really. But I can tell she's still messed up about Apocalypse, and what Mesmero did to her. Anyone would be."

"Ja..." Kurt frowned. "Vhat do you two talk about anyvay?"

Scott hesitated noticeably to answer. "Random things..." he said vaguely, closing his eyes as he switched from the goggles he wore at night to his sunglasses.

The frown on Kurt's face deepened before he realized that Scott was trying to protect his sister's privacy. "If zhere vas somezing important, you'd tell me, ja?" He asked, the frown disappearing..

Scott nodded, his expression clearing and becoming honest. "Of course." He reached out and put a hand on Kurt's shoulder. "Lets go see if they tell us at breakfast, yeah?"

Kurt gave a hasty nod at the mention of food. "Ja," his stomach gave an impressive growl that made them both laugh. Both boys stood, and left the room, only to run into Kitty and Jean at the top of the stairs. Jean laced her arm through Scott's, smiling at him.

"Morning Kurt," she said, then pressed a brief kiss to Scott's cheek as his 'good morning'.

Kurt gave Jean a brief smile. "Good Morning, Jean," he let his golden eyes turn to Kitty. "Kitty."

Kitty's smile was weak, a fact all three picked up on. Kurt immediately moved to her side, putting a friendly arm around her shoulders. "Somezing bothering you?" he asked.

"Just, like, last night, with Rogue." Kitty said with a sigh, glancing at Jean. "Jean and I were, like, just talking about it."

Kurt nodded. "So vere Scott and I," he admitted.

Jean glanced at Scott, wondering if he had some insight, only to be met with her boyfriend's stoic look. "Look, I don't know what happened last night, but like I told Kurt, if she had told me something important that needed to be shared, I would. Ok?"

Jean and Kitty nodded, and entered the dining room ahead of the boys, only to find Rogue already seated. Rogue was normally one of the last ones awake and downstairs. Kitty immediately went to her friend and sat down beside her, intent on questioning her about the night before. When Rogue had finally rejoined them for movies, it had been obvious her mind was elsewhere. Her laughter had been forced, her eyes distant, and at one point, it had taken Remy giving her shoulder a slight shake just to get her attention. Before Kitty could begin to question her former roommate, she realized something that distracted her. For the third day in a row, Rogue was sans-makeup.

Jean noticed what Kitty had, and the two girls studied Rogue, since she didn't seem to be paying them any attention yet again. Rogue, with her makeup on, had a pure white face, with her eyes so heavily made up that you had to pay attention to them...provided you could draw your attention away from her purple lips. But without the makeup, it was like seeing a different person. Her skin, while still almost scarily pale, held a softness and warmth that invited you to reach out and run your fingers along it to see if it was as soft as it looked. Her facial structure, normally not as noticeable under the thick white makeup, was startlingly attractive, from the curve of her jaw to the shape of her nose. But what really drew the attention, just as much without the makeup as with, were her lips and eyes. Her lips were full, and shaped in such a way that they looked equally attractive in a sneer as they did in a seductive pout. Her eyes would probably be more startling in their green color, Jean mused, instead of the gray they currently were, but the shape of them, combined with her long lashes still drew your attention.

In the time Jean and Kitty had been studying their teammate, nearly all of the other students had trickled into the room in groups of two and three and taken their seats. Once Logan entered the room, along with the Cajun, the Professor moved from the corner where he had been talking quietly with Ororo, and took his place at the head of the table. With him in place, everyone else immediately moved to their own seats, and sat down.

"Good Morning everyone," Xavier said, a warm smile on his face as his eyes briefly met those of all his charges and associates. Most everyone at the table returned his greeting, except for a few who were yawning or rubbing at their eyes. It was still early to most of them, being as it was summer vacation, but he preferred to have a group breakfast on the weekends anyhow. He could see a few of the boys itching to reach for the food in front of them, and smiled. A brief telepathic message to Rogue and the adults later, he nodded to his students. "Lets eat, shall we?"

There was brief disappointment on the faces of his original X-men, who he could sense wanted to know what was troubling Rogue, but they seemed to accept that they would have to wait. Slowly, conversations began taking place around the room, and everyone ate their fill. But through the meal, students would look to the Professor or another adult, curiosity written all over their faces. Finally, Professor Xavier finished his meal, and laid his fork and knife down on the plate, his blue eyes scanning to see how many were still eating. The only ones still with a fork in hand were Fred, who was finishing up his forth plate full, and Ororo, who had waited until everyone else had served to take anything for herself.

Professor Xavier cleared his throat, gaining him instant attention, and even Fred had learned enough manners in his time at the institute to put down his fork at times like this. Once all eyes were on him, Xavier smiled warmly. "Before we all head our separate ways, there is something the other adults and I have been waiting to speak to you all about."

Before he could continue, Kurt spoke up. "Does zis have somezing to do vith Rogue being called to your office?"

Xavier forgave the interruption and simply nodded at Kurt. "It does. You see, ever since Jean's power surge, I have become increasingly aware of how limited I am in some cases, when it comes to helping you all control your powers, or advance them in a safe manner. Therefore, I have been in contact with an old friend who has become a renowned scientist and geneticist, specializing in mutants and their powers."

It was now that a few started to realize what Xavier and the other adults might have wanted to talk to Rogue about, and the Professor could sense the excitement begin to tingle in the air. "My friend, Dr. McTaggert, has been going over the files of the X-men, and more recently, Erik has sent her information on his team members." He paused, glancing at Rogue, who was looking down at her lap, her hair obscuring his view of her face. "She believes that she may be able to help Rogue finally get at least some measure of control, if not full control, of her powers."

Kurt gave a whoop of joy, and looked to his sister, who was only now looking up. She gave him a shaky smile, and he remembered belatedly that she hated being put in the spotlight like this. His smile turned reassuring, and that earned him a more steady smile from Rogue.

"However...there is one small catch, if you will." Xavier said, causing Kurt's eyes to turn back to him.

"Catch?" Scott asked, a frown forming on his face. "What kind of catch?" It never even occurred to him to ask if this McTaggert could do something for him.

Rogue looked to the Professor, who was watching her. Sighing, she turned to Scott. "In ordah for her t' help meh, Ah'd have t' leave th' institute..." Rogue said softly, but in the quiet of the room, it was heard clearly from one end of the table to the other.

The quiet didn't last long though. Once her words sunk in, Kurt was out of his chair and muttering in German, gesturing wildly, obviously not wanting her to leave. Kitty burst into tears, and immediately leaned over to hug her friend, leaving Rogue to awkwardly return it given the angle. After an initial outburst, most of the younger students seemed content to let Kurt vent, but Jamie too was standing, upset at the idea of Rogue leaving. Scott seemed to have no reaction, and that had Rogue staring at him, trying to see past the stoic expression he had pulled up at her words.

"Calm down," Xavier instructed, turning a steady gaze on anyone who was still venting their disapproval at the idea of Rogue leaving. "This is not a descision that was come to lightly," he told them, folding his hands in his lap. "Now I understand that you all are upset at the idea of a friend and teammate leaving, but it is not your choice to make."

"It was mah choice," Rogue said, her eyes focusing on Kurt and Scott who were seated side by side. "Ah chose t' do this."

"But, vhy vould you choose to leave?" Kurt asked, his golden eyes showing his hurt.

Rogue swallowed hard, trying her best to keep from tearing up. "Because Ah'd rathah leave, an' get control of this," she said, even as she lost her battle and a lone tear began its trek down her cheek, "than _evah _be used against mah family again..."

Seeing that lone tear on her face seemed to snap something in Scott, and before he even realized what he was doing, he was out of his seat and rounding the table to her. Kitty moved out of his way just as he reached them, and watched as Scott turned Rogue's chair a bit to face him. Squatting down, Scott looked her in the eyes, an unreadable expression on his face. For a moment, all he did was watch her, apparently looking for something. Around the table, people were watching this go on, confused looks on their faces. But once that moment had passed, Scott reached over, picking up Rogue's cloth napkin from the table. He used it to gently wipe that lone tear away, and slowly, the smile he reserved just for her formed on his lips.

He said nothing to her, he didn't need to. At this close of range, Rogue could read him like a book, and he knew she saw the sadness in his expression that others likely didn't see. She returned his smile, albeit a bit shakily, and he could tell she was trying to keep more tears from falling. Giving her a moment to regain her composure, he looked to the Professor. "How long until she leaves?"

"Dr. McTaggert will be ready for her in a week's time," Xavier said gently, trying to avoid another explosion. But Rogue's heartfelt comment seemed to have hit everyone at the table hard, and no one could find it in them to speak out against her leaving now.

Scott nodded slowly, his gaze shifting back to Rogue. "Then I guess we'll just have to enjoy this week," he said, glancing to Kurt and Kitty, who nodded emphatically.

Kitty paused, struck by what she thought was a wonderful idea. "Professor?"

"Yes, Kitty?"

The brunette girl hesitated, knowing Rogue might not like the idea, but forged ahead anyhow. "Can we, like, throw a small going away party, like at the end of the week?" Her blue eyes immediately turned to Rogue, gauging her former roommates reaction.

Rogue took a deep breath, feeling the Professor's eyes upon her as well, then looked to Kitty. A small smile curved her lips, and she nodded. "That'd be nahce, Kit," she said softly, still trying to get her emotions under control. "Just remembah ya were th' one who said 'small'," she teased, getting a responding broad smile from Kitty.

"Like, of course," Kitty said, glancing to the Professor now for his approval.

Xavier gave a single nod of his head. "A small party sounds like a wonderful idea, Kitty," he said, then glanced to Ororo. "I trust you'll help her keep it small enough, Ororo?"

Ororo gave a brief nod as well, and her sapphire eyes turned to Kitty and Rogue. "I'm sure we can come up with something small, but fun."

"Yes, a party!" Evan said, effectively drawing some attention away from Rogue. He could see Rogue growing a bit uneasy again with attention on her and Kitty, and while he wasn't always close to the Goth girl, he still had a great deal of respect for her, which he knew went both ways. He didn't miss the look she gave him, and he gave a small shrug to dismiss her appreciation.

Scott stood slowly, managing to keep from drawing more attention to them, and glanced at Rogue again. Her eyes had changed from the gray they had been at the beginning of breakfast to the green, and those eyes were focused on him. He could tell she wanted to speak to him, and mouthed "later" to her, receiving a nod in response.

The younger students had been distracted by Evan's excitement, and were now happily discussing ideas they should give Kitty for the party, most of which were a bit too extreme for a 'small' party. The Brotherhood and St John were quietly conversing, though their eyes would occasionally turn to Rogue. Pietro and Lance in particular seemed affected by Rogue's imminent departure, remind the few who noticed their expressions to recall that they were the members of the team she had been closer to. Wanda was seated quietly by her brother, and her sapphire eyes were locked on her roommate, taking in every expression and word she could for discussion later when the two girls were finally back in their room. Piotr, the ever silent giant, was watching the goings on as well. During the brief time he had been a member of the X-men, which he had officially joined after the Apocalypse fiasco, he had already grown quite attached to the equally silent Goth. They shared a fondness for art and books, and often spent quiet time in the library, sharing sketches or just reading in each others company.

Seeing that the students were content now, Xavier called for attention one last time, and waited patiently for everyone to turn to him again. "Now, Dr. McTaggert has offered her assistance to the rest of you as well, should you ever need it in the future." He glanced briefly at Scott. "She has also given me some possible leads on ways to help Scott," he said, smiling at the young man's startled look. "You have Rogue to thank for that," he added. "When Rogue met with me this morning, as I was on the phone with Dr. McTaggert, she asked if there was something to be done for your powers. Now, as most of you are aware, Scott's lack of control was thought to be due to damage sustained when he was younger," here, most of the students started nodding. "But Rogue brought up a good point. If that was true, how did Erik's machine on Astroid M allow Scott control? Erik has confirmed that the machine, no matter how amazing it was, could not have possibly healed the damage we assumed was keeping Scott from controlling his powers."

Scott was hanging on every word, and his hand drifted to Rogue's shoulder, which he squeezed; a silent thank you for her thoughtfulness.

"With that knowledge," Xavier's pale blue eyes shone as he looked to Scott, "We honestly believe that you can achieve control as well, without having to leave the institute."

Scott could feel his knees shaking, and a burning in his eyes that he associated with his lack of being able to shed tears since his powers had manifested. "I..." He paused, trying to collect himself. "I don't know what to say, sir," he said, voice as shaky as his knees.

"Hank and I hope to begin working with you after the end of the week," Xavier said, the reasoning clear. He wanted nothing to take away from the last week they would have with Rogue.

"Sir," Jean interjected, bright green eyes focusing on her mentor.

"Jean?"

"You never did say how long Rogue would be gone," she said, having sensed the question burning in many of the minds of her friends, and also her boyfriend.

"We are hoping she will be able to return not long after the beginning of the school year," Xavier said. "However, with as complex as Rogue's powers are, its hard to say for certain."

Jean nodded slowly, as that sunk in with everyone. Through the telepathic link she shared with Scott, she could feel his emotions swirling. While he was ecstatic at the thought of being able to see the world without his ruby-quartz glasses, it was dampened considerably by the mix of feelings stirred by the fact Rogue would be gone in so short a time. For a moment, Jean considered trying to sort out what it was he was feeling, then shook off that idea. Scott had been trying to be a better friend to Rogue since the night they had shared pizza, it was understandable that his emotions would be up in the air.

Across the table, Scott was looking down at Rogue now, emotions shifting over his face too quickly for most to pick anything out. Rogue turned her head to look up at him, and refused the urge to reach up and take his hand. The right to do so in the way she wanted wasn't hers, after all. So instead, she just let a sad smile curve her lips as she looked at him, a smile he returned.

"Oh my god," Kitty said, reaching out to get Rogue's attention. Once the green eyes were focused on her, Kitty continued. "We like so need to go shopping!"

The moment with Scott broken, Rogue gave a short laugh at the look on Kitty's face. "Even if Ah say no, ya gonna drag meh 'long aren't ya?"

"Of course," Kitty said, smiling broadly. "We can, like, get the other girls to come too."

From a few seats down, Jubilee and Amara had overheard Kitty, and were already nodding. "A shopping trip sounds awesome," Jubilee agreed, tossing her long black hair over her shoulder.

Rogue just smiled a bit. "Ya aimin' t' go now?" she asked.

Kitty nodded, then looked over to Jean and Tabby. "Are you two, like, going to come too?"

"Of course," Jean answered with a smile, as Tabby nodded from her spot not far from Jean.

Rogue scooted her chair back a bit more, with assistance from Scott, and stood. "Well, then Ah'll go change," she said, gesturing to the relaxed look of yoga pants and a light-weight long-sleeved shirt she had on. "Wasn't exactly plannin' on goin' out."

Kitty smiled. "Like, sure. I totally need to, like, freshen up anyhow."

Rogue fought the urge to roll her eyes, because after all, Kitty hadn't been up long enough to require 'freshing up,' but that was Kitty for you. Jubilee and Amara agreed, and headed towards the stairs with Kitty, talking excitedly about a chance to shop. Sensing someone still looking at her, Rogue turned her head to find Scott there, his hand on the back of her chair. A quick glance told her they were all but alone now in the room, only Dr. McCoy and the Professor lingered near a doorway, where the spoke in hushed tones. Her attention returned to Scott, and she reached out, touching his arm.

"Ya ok, Scott?"

Scott reached out and pulled her into a hug, not answering for a moment. He could feel how stiff she was in his arms, but didn't let go. It took her a couple of seconds, but she finally relaxed into him, her arms coming up and wrapping around his neck to return the hug. Scott lowered his head, and put his mouth next to her ear.

"You are like an angel, Kate," he murmured, and felt her smile against his chest at the words he had recited from Shakespeare what felt like forever ago. After a moment, he pressed his lips to the crown of her head, causing a shiver to go through her frame. "You'll have to get used to random things like that," he told her, even as she pulled back to look at him.

"Oh really?" she asked, her eyes that vibrant, deep green that, even with his ruby-quartz glasses, never failed to take his breath away.

Scott nodded, a small smile curving his lips, but said nothing.

Rogue sighed in amusement, then slowly pulled away from him. "Ah'd bettah go change, b'fore Kit an' th' gals quit their primpin'," she murmured, ducking her head to hide the emotions she could feel showing in her expression.

Scott let his arms drop to his sides. "Ok. We can talk later, right?"

A bit confused as to what he might want to talk about, Rogue nodded. "Sure," she answered. "Latah."

As she left the room, she glanced back at him from the doorway. He forced a smile onto his face, even as a chill ran through him. She obviously didn't buy the smile, from the look she gave him, but she turned and went up the stairs anyhow.

In the dining room, Scott stood statue still, his eyes looking at the last point he had been able to see Rogue. He finally had the answer that had been eluding him all week, a reason for all of these feelings he had been getting when he saw her. It was so simple, really, that he could kick himself for not seeing it sooner. He'd had a crush on Rogue when she first arrived in Bayville, one that most had not noticed due to his more obvious feelings for Jean, and it seemed that the crush had returned in full force. No. That's not true. His more-than-friendly feelings for her had never died out. He had squashed them into a corner of his heart, telling himself that she had no interest in him, that people's comments on how perfect a couple he and Jean would make were what he should listen to. After all, he'd had a crush on Jean for years. There was no way some new girl could show up and over-throw that, right?

God, how stupid could he really be?

**Bayville Mall, A little after Noon -**

"Gawd," Rogue moaned as she dropped into a chair in the food court of the mall. "We haven't been heah much more'n hour or two and ya'll have worn meh out..."

Jean gave a tired laugh as she sat down next to Rogue. "Tell me about it," she muttered, shooting a mock glare at the younger 4 girls. It had no affect of course, but it made Jean feel better.

Rogue found herself shooting Jean a sympathetic look, and the two shared a laugh. "Ah don't even know if Ah wanna move t' get somethin' t' eat."

Kitty sat down on Rogue's other side, a pile of bags at her feet. "Oh come on, we're just getting started!"

Rogue looked less than enthusiastic. "That's what Ah'm afraid of."

Amara laughed as she re-arranged her long brown hair into a ponytail. "Honestly Rogue, you can stand Danger Room sessions with Mr. Logan, 2 hours of Racquetball with Scott, and fighting the Brotherhood doesn't even make you break a sweat, but a couple of hours in the mall shopping has you ready to drop. I just don't get it!"

Tabby smirked as she pulled out a new set of plastic bracelets she had bought and started to put them on. "The girl's a total bad-ass, Mara. But she's not girly like you or Jubes." She gave a shrug. "Besides, shopping with you two and Kitty _is _a workout of its own."

"Gee, thanks," Kitty said, rolling her eyes before looking to Rogue. "Besides, she needs some new clothes..."

Rogue raised an eyebrow, then looked to Jean. "Ain't it wondahful how they talk 'bout meh lahke Ah ain't heah?"

Jean chuckled, but found herself eying Rogue's outfit critically anyhow. Rogue had changed into a pair of black slim-fit jeans, a black tank top, and her green mesh shirt before they left, and while the outfit suited the Goth girl, it still left a bit to be desired. She could sense Rogue bristling a bit at the attention and quickly diverted her gaze to Kitty. "If Rogue wants to buy something, then that's up to her. And its not nice to talk about someone like they aren't there if they are."

Kitty rolled her eyes, her attention dragged away from digging through her purchases. She looked to Rogue. "Your closet is, like, over half empty!" she said this in a scandalized tone. Obviously anything less than a full closet was blasphemy to her.

"Over half empty?" Amara and Jubilee repeated in unison, shock written on their faces.

Rogue gave a shrug, ignoring the fact that even Tabby, Jean and Wanda (who had just returned from a trip to the ladies room) were starting at her. "Ah have as much as Ah need t' get bah. What's th' point in havin' a full closet if ya nevah wear what's in it on a regulah basis?"

Jubilee looked to Kitty. "She's joking, right?"

Kitty shook her head sadly. "No. She has a few pairs of jeans, two black skirts, a couple of coats, and three mesh shirts in her closet. Plus 4 pairs of shoes."

Now Tabby's jaw dropped. "Only 4 pairs of shoes?" Her hazel eyes focused on Rogue. "How do you survive?!"

Rogue frowned. "Ah have my combat boots, a pair of nicah boots, my Converse, and my boots for mah uniform. What else do Ah need?"

"Oh god," Jubilee moaned. "Its worse than I thought." She looked to the other girls. "We totally have to have an intervention here, ladies."

Rogue's eyes went wide, and she started to protest, but was cut off, to her surprise, by Wanda. "I agree."

Rogue glared at Wanda. "Ya traitor, ya don't have any more clothes than Ah do."

Wanda shrugged. "I haven't been shopping since I got in town. I was intending to get some new things today...My father gave me his credit card." A wicked smile spread over her face. "I might as well make a dent in his bank while he's willing to let me."

Kitty nodded, then looked to Jean. "Professor X gave you his credit card to use on Rogue didn't he?"

Jean gave a serene smile, even as Rogue's glare shifted to her. "Yes. And I just checked with him," she said, tapping her head. "He's ok with us going all out to get Rogue what she needs."

Rogue groaned. "Its offical, th' world hates meh..."

Jubilee smiled. "We better get something to eat...we'll need the energy if we're going to fix Rogue's wardrobe by the time the mall closes."

The only sound that followed was a thud as Rogue's head hit the table in defeat.

**Xavier Mansion, 10 pm -**

"Vhere are the girls?" Kurt asked, looking up from the game of 'Sorry' he, Remy, Scott and Piotr were playing in the den.

"Ya got a bunch o' femmes at a mall," Remy said, still disappointed that Logan had put a stop to him teaching the others how to play Poker. "Trois o' which got a serious addiction t' shoppin'." He made a move on the board, then looked up at Kurt. "Ya honestly t'ought dey'd be back b'fore de mall was closed?"

Kurt pondered this for a moment, then sighed. "Wishful thinking," he admitted. His tail twitched in time to the second hand on the grandfather clock on the other side of the room as he took his turn at the game. "I vanted some time vith meine Schwester."

Scott patted his friend on the back before smirking as Kurt forced one of Remy's pieces to move. "You'll get to spend some time with her, don't worry about it."

"But ve only have a week!" Kurt said, looking up. "A veek! I've only known she vas meine Schwester for a few months, and now she's leaving!"

"Not for good," Piotr said, his voice slow and steady, his Russian accent changing the way some of his words sounded. "She vill return."

Kurt tried to calm down at that reminder, and gave a forced smile in Piotr's direction. "Ja...she vill."

Glad to be able to make someone feel better, Piotr smiled. "She vill be missed," he added, making it clear he was one who would miss her company.

"Yeah..." Scott said, looking down at the game as he took his turn.

"Well ain't ya'll sweet," a Southern voice said from the doorway, drawing their attention. It was Rogue, of course, but she had changed clothes yet again at the insistence of the girls, who were currently carrying their own loads of bags up to their rooms. The new outfit, one of many she had been talked into purchasing, was in keeping with her Goth style, and encouraged the boys (other than her own brother) to give her a good once over. Her feet and lower legs were covered by a new pair of high-heeled knee-high black leather boots, that gave way to a pair of black semi-sheer hose. The top of the hose were covered by a pair of black shorts that had the cuffs rolled, making them end mid-thigh. Tucked into the shorts, a black mesh shirt kept her arms and midriff covered, while a deep purple corset-style top completed the ensemble. It was dark, form fitting, and to the minds of two of the boys looking at her, the sexiest damn thing they had ever seen her in.

Kurt absently noted that his sister was attractive, a casual thing any boy with a very hot sister might think in passing, especially when confronted with two of their friends staring at said sister. But more than that, he was just glad she was home. His subconscious had noted she was fully covered, and so he gave no active thought to porting directly to her, and grabbing her into a hug. "You're home!" he said, so enthusiastically that Rogue couldn't help but laugh and hug him back.

"Yep," she said, even as she looked at Remy and Scott over his shoulder. She gave Piotr a brief, friendly smile, which he returned, then pulled back to smile at Kurt. "Ah tried t' talk th' othah gals inta leavin hours ago, but even Wanda voted meh down."

"Really?" Kurt said, then shrugged it off. "You have to promise you'll spend tomorrow vith me," he said, giving her a pleading look.

"T'morrah is all yours, lil' brothah," she assured him, reaching up with a gloved hand to muss his hair. Knowing she was leaving him soon had her feeling very affectionate, and she pulled him into another hug, which he gladly returned.

"Gut," (good) he said, as they released each other finally. "Vell, I guess I'll go pester Kitty before calling it a night," he added with a broad smile that showed off his fangs. "I'll see you in ze morning, meine schwester."

Kurt ported away, leaving Rogue to fan at the cloud of brimstone scented smoke he left behind. "Ah really wish he'd quit doin' that..." she muttered, then looked to the other boys. Noting the game, she gestured to it with a black-gloved hand. "Who was winnin'?"

"Yo' frere," Remy said, taking a few steps towards Rogue. "Was whoopin' all o' our asses," he added with a smirk.

"Well, Kurt is good at board games," Scott interjected, drawing Rogue's attention to him. In the moment her eyes hit him, an emotion Scott couldn't define passed through them. But as quick as it was there, it was gone, leaving Scott wondering what it might have been.

"That's true," Rogue said, moving to one of the lounge chairs to sit and stretch her legs out on. Once she was seated, Scott and Remy both returned to their own seats, but Piotr stayed standing. Curious, she looked to him, allowing a small but tired smile to curve her purple-tinted lips. "Ya headin' up, Petey?" she asked, knowing she was one of few who he would allow to call him that nick-name.

"Da," he answered, returning her smile. "It is late. And there is training tomorrow," he added.

"See ya in de mornin, homme."

Piotr gave a brief nod to Remy, then looked back at Rogue. "Good night, Rogue,"

"Night," she replied, before leaning her head back on the lounge and closing her eyes for a moment.

She heard Piotr's footsteps as he left the room, but noticed a presence near her and re-opened her eyes to see Remy there, looking down at her.

"Ya look pretty tired, yo'self, Chere."

Rogue made a soft "mm" of agreement, closing her eyes again. "Ah spent all day bein' a dress-up doll fo' th' othah gals," she muttered, knowing Scott and Remy could hear her. Since it was them, she knew they wouldn't think less of her for what she was about to say. "And on top of it, Ah had to act all happy an' glad t' have a girls day, even though Ah hate that come next week, Ah won't be heah for Kitty t' drag t' th' mall. Much as Ah complain about it..." Rogue let her eyes open, revealing the gray that had formed a small ring in her otherwise green eyes. "Knowin' Kit wants mah company, ovah even Jean sometimes, it means a lot."

Remy just gave her a smile of understanding, having left his own family in New Orleans, who while he didn't always like them, he still loved them. "S'not easy, leavin' home..." he said, sitting down in a chair near her. "But some times 's de only way."

Rogue's gloved hand reached out and gave Remy's a squeeze. He had told her of what had happened after she and the X-men had left him in New Orleans, and of the fact that the reason he had been able to come to the mansion was because he was trying to get out of an arranged marriage. "Bella been callin' again?" she asked, reading his expression.

"Oui," he said, ignoring Scott's confused look, even as the leader of the X-men moved to sit on a foot stool so he too could be near Rogue. "She be threatin' t' come drag me back t' N'Awlins herself...alive or dead."

Rogue winced. "Ya decided what ya gonna do about her?"

"Only one t'ing to do, if mon pere still ain't figured a way outta dis. Gonna hafta go home an' deal wit' Bella and de rest."

A sad expression formed on Rogue's face, and she pulled her head up so she could look at Remy. "When ya gonna leave?"

"After ya do," he assured her, not looking happy about circumstances himself.

"Do you mind me asking what you two are talking about?" Scott asked, wondering if there was something he or the X-men could do for the Cajun. Rogue had said having Remy there had been a help to her, and while he hadn't grown close to the thief, despite them sharing a room, he knew how much it would mean to Rogue. "Is it something the X-men, or I, can help with?"

Remy shook his head, but gave Scott a look that was much closer to friendly than any the two had shared thus far. "Non, not'in ya or de X-men c'n do, 's family business. 'Preciate de offer t'ough." He gave a sigh, and after a look from Rogue, finally answered Scott's first question. "M' famille is de leaders o' de T'ieves Guild o' N'Awlins. We been warrin' wit' de Rippers, or de Assassins as dey callin' demselves now, for longer dan anyone c'n remember. In order t' bring peace, when I was a pup, mon pere and de leader o' de Rippers arranged a marriage 'tween me an' his daughter. Was 'posed t' marry de femme 'bout a year 'go, but dats when Mags came callin. Figured dat if I got outta N'Awlins, might be able t' get outa de marriage. But now..." He trailed off there, hanging his head.

Scott took all of this in, emotions warring in him. On one hand he was happy to know that in all reality, the Cajun couldn't pursue a relationship other than friendship with Rogue, but at the same time, the idea of anyone being forced into an arranged marriage in this day and age struck him as odd. Surely there were other ways to ensure peace. "What if you married someone else?" Scot asked, not even realizing what he was saying until the words were out of his mouth.

"T'ought o' dat. But I'd still be hitched t' someone dat I might not wanna be hitched t'," Remy pointed out, but Scott didn't miss the way his eyes shot to Rogue, making it obvious that he wouldn't mind being married to her.

Rogue apparently hadn't missed Remy's eyes landing on her either, and she gave a short laugh. "Swamp Rat, Ah already told ya no..." she teasing reminded him, a smile forming on her lips. "Don't make meh have Logan tell ya for meh..."

Remy gave an exaggerated shudder at the idea. "Non, dat not necessary, Chere," he said, but he smirked anyhow. "I'd t'ink ya'd take it as a compliment, me t'inkin ya'd be good femme t' be married t'..."

Her expression softened considerably. "Ah do, Rem, but Ah ain't 'bout t' marry _anyone _b'fore Ah graduate High School."

He chuckled. "Je comprends, mon cher, vous savez que je t'aimerai toujours, cependant." (I understand, my dear, you know I'll always love you, though.)

Rogue gave another sad smile. "Et je vous, mon ami. Je souhaite juste que c'était assez." (And I you, my friend. I just wish it was enough.)

Scott felt as though he was intruding, now that they were speaking in French. He had a brief thought that he should have taken that in school instead of Spanish. He could pick up a few things, like when Rogue said "my friend," but that was about it.

Remy stood, and leaned over to kiss Rogue's gloved hand. "Un jour, il va vous voir, mon amour. Et quand il le fait, il va se rendre compte du trésor que vous êtes." (One day he'll see you, my love. And when he does, he'll realize the treasure you are.) His eyes shimmered for a moment, as his empathy picked up on the pure affection that flooded Rogue at his words. He honestly loved this woman, but he could sense her heart was already taken. It would be so easy to charm her, make her love him instead, he mused. And she would be happy. But he could also sense that the one she loved was already starting to see her as he should've all along. So he would settle into the role of trusted friend, give her a shoulder to cry on, and a listening ear. He brushed his lips over her hand one last time, then smiled at her. "Bon nuit, mon amour," he said, then looked to Scott. "Night, mon ami."

Scott nodded absently. "Night," he replied, his eyes focused on Rogue. She was watching Remy, her expression full of affection for the Cajun. It was almost hard to stomach, now that he realized how he felt for her, seeing her look at another man that way. But then her eyes turned to him, and he realized with a jolt that the affection he had seen directed at Remy was only amplified when she looked to him. How had he never seen that before?

"Bon nuit," Rogue replied, even as her eyes settled on Scott. "See ya in th' mornin."

Remy made no sound as he took the stairs to the dorms, and in the sudden quiet, Scott found himself studying Rogue. He could feel a tingle in the back of his mind that he associated with Jean trying to speak to him over their link, and sighed to himself. One of these days having a telepath for a girlfriend was going to get him in trouble. He opened the link just enough for Jean to speak, but not enough for her to see or feel all he was at the moment.

_Scott? Where are you?_ Jean questioned, her 'tone' one of concern, even over the link.

_'In the den'_

_'Still? I saw you there when we got home, but I wanted to put my things away.'_

_'Yeah...I got to talking with Remy and Rogue,' _Scott said, even as he felt Rogue's gaze turn questioning. "Jean." he said simply, tapping a finger to his head, and getting a nod in return.

_'Oh...' _He could feel Jean's confusion, making it obvious she had her end of the link wide open. _'Are you coming up soon? I was hoping to have some time with you...'_

_'Maybe in a few minutes. But I would be going straight to bed...it is getting late, and we have that session in the morning.'_

_'Okay...well...good night.' _He could feel the gentle telepathic 'kiss' that Jean gave him, and felt bad. He had spent so long going after her, and now that he had her, he was thinking about another girl. Well, he supposed he could add "Worst Boyfriend" award to his list of accolades.

_'Good night. If I had known you were waiting, I would've come up.' _ He said, doing his best to reassure her. _'Want to go see a movie tomorrow after DR?'_

_'That would be great,' _Jean replied quickly. _'See you at breakfast.'_

Scott didn't bother to reply, feeling Jean shut down her end of the link as she got ready for bed. He smiled at Rogue. "Sorry about that. Just saying good night to her."

Rogue gave a shrug. "That's fahne. Ah should probably go on up mahself."

Scott hesitated for a moment, then tilted his head. "What was Remy saying to you, when you two were speaking French? If you don't mind me asking..."

Rogue cringed. "Gawd, Ah keep doin' that don't Ah? Switchin' t' French with him, Ah mean."

Scott nodded, a small grin curving his lips. "Yeah."

"He was just bein' a sweet heart...and a good friend."

"Oh? Ya know...I've always gotten the impression he liked you as more than just a friend..." Scott left the comment hanging, wondering how she'd respond. Nothing could have prepared him for her answer, though.

"He loves me," she said simply, a small smile on her lips that made Scott wonder if she felt the same way about Remy for a moment.

"And you?"

Rogue paused, searching his expression for some hint as to why he cared what her feelings for the Cajun were. "Does it matter?" she asked finally. "Come next week, Ah'll be in Scotland, he'll be in N'Awlins, probably getting married."

Scott frowned. "Is that the only answer I'm going to get?"

Rogue sat up, pinning Scott with a serious look. "Give meh a reason why it mattahs, and Ah'll answer ya honestly..."

"Because..." Scott's tongue battled with the words he wanted to say to her. "I...you know I care about you," he said finally, that the most his tongue (which he was cursing at the moment) would allow.

Rogue must've seen something in his expression that his words didn't convey, because Scott suddenly found himself face to face with the most caring look Rogue had ever given him. The way her lips curved, the smile that took over her eyes, it was enough to make Scott's heart skip a few beats. Could she? Did she?

"Ah love him," she began, and Scott felt his heart sink. "But not th' way he loves meh..."

"Do you, I mean..." Scott's brain battled his tongue again. "Is there someone else?"

"There always has been," Rogue said vaguely, then pushed herself out of the chair. "Ah'm gonna go t' bed, sugah," she told him, reaching out to briefly touch his arm. "Ah'll see ya in th' mornin."

Scott nodded, unable to form words. Her admission had left him speechless.

**A/N: **And there you have it. Chapter 7, and the beginnings of Scogue. I honestly thought about having Remy try harder to win her over, but I just can't do it. At least not right now. We'll see how things go in the future. LOL. Minus the A/N's, this came in at 7500 words again, so I hope you all are happy! This was added to more favorites and alerts since last chapter, and I got a few more reviews. That makes ME happy! Until next time my wonderful readers!

**Review Response to "Guest" -** I'm glad that the last update made you happy! We'll see about who goes with Rogue to Scotland. There are a couple of definite chars, but other than that it's up in the air until I write it. LOL. Looking forward to another review from a fellow Scogue fan!

**Review Response to "Anonymous136": **Glad to see another review from you! Hope I don't loose you with the Scogue this chapter, but I felt that Remy should have a few small demons to get rid of before we got another further. Its not Remy if there aren't a few black marks on his record.


	9. Act I, Ch 8-Rumor Has It

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Chapter 8, "Rumor Has It"**_

**Author Notes: **Ok, this chapter is totally dedicated to my reviewers, and most especially "guest." Your questions got me thinking hard, and I will be going back and changing the whole "Dr" thing for Hank and Moira after this chapter is completed. As for your two biggest questions...well, the first parts of this chapter should answer them. I couldn't leave you hanging like that! I am going to kind of glaze over a few days prior to Rogue's departure. If I tried to write them, I'm afraid the plot would stagnate a bit. It IS a weekend, so lets see if I can have this ready to post before Monday! *fresh cookies to anyone who's reviewed, added to favorites, or alerts* Oh, and this chapter picks up VERY early in the morning, the day following Chapter 7.

I hope that I don't loose any readers with this chapter, but please read the A/N at the bottom if you do get annoyed with how things play out. Hopefully it will help you see why I did things the way I have. Oh, and FX should be shot for doing a super-hero marathon while I'm trying to write...its distracting!

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred, Mystique), and my own unique Excalibur team...you'll find out who they are later.

**Jean and Kitty's Room, Girl's dorms, 2 AM - **

Awash in a sea of red, that's how Scott normally dreamed. And normally, Jean would never dream of invading Scott's privacy by actively accessing his mind as he slept, but she could tell things were not normal between them any more. He had been blocking her through their link more and more lately, something he had never done before. Suddenly, Jean felt Scott's dream's shift. And instead of red, his dreams were full of color. Scott still remembered seeing color, however vaguely, and his subconscious sometimes allowed his dreams to reflect that. The primary color this time was green, Jean noted, then froze as Scott's dream became almost too clear for her to bear.

Instead of dreaming of her, as he normally had, tonight, it was Rogue who stared in his dreams. Jean felt as though she had been hit hard, and suddenly found it hard to breathe. Scott's momentary lapse a few days ago, where he had imagined kissing Rogue, had slipped into his dreams, and become even more intense. As she watched her 'boyfriend' making out with the girl who'd had a crush on him for ages, Jean felt tears form in her eyes, even if it was just a dream.

Even if it was 'just a dream,' Jean could finally get a real read on how Scott felt for Rogue, and it both startled and scared her. She had gotten so used to being the only object of Scott's affections, to be find she was no longer the only one he wanted, well, she wasn't sure what to do about it. She could tell, however, that Scott was trying to fight these feelings he had for Rogue, in order to be faithful to her. In sleep, his mind was an open book to her, especially with the way her powers had grown in the past year. As Jean took a walk through Scott's memories of the two years since Rogue had joined the X-men, she realized that Scott had always had feelings for the Goth.

As the last of his recent memories played for her, Jean gently pulled herself out of his mind. She hated invading his privacy like that, but she needed to know. And bless him, Scott would rather hurt himself by denying his feelings than ever do something to hurt her. That meant she would have to do something. What, she didn't know, but she had until they went to the movie later today.

**Scott and Remy's Room, Boy's Dorms, 3PM - **

Remy reclined on his bed and watched as Scott got ready to head to a movie with Jean. Rogue was out with Kurt, who had talked Logan into taking them to a Circus a few towns away, and they wouldn't be back until after dinner. That left him with very few options as to what to do. He could go tune up his bike, but really, it didn't need it. Or he could go flirt with the other girls, but they weren't his type. Not to mention they were too young. Perhaps he was giving up on Rogue too easy, given that it seemed Scott wouldn't pull his head out any time soon.

_Non, _He thought. _De femme deserves a man who ain't tied down. But...mebbe..._ A new thought occurred to him, and had him smiling. _Once all dis business wit' Belle be done wit, if de homme still ain't made 'is move...Den watch out, ma Cherie._

Scott looked at where the Cajun thief was stretched out, and raised an eyebrow at the way he was smiling. It was kind of creepy. Shaking his head, he turned back to the mirror and critically looked at his reflection. It was almost hard to believe that there was a chance that soon he would be able to see the world as it was, and not stained red. Though he knew he needed go and meet Jean downstairs, he took a moment and opened a drawer. Reaching inside, he pulled out the only photo he had from before he had come to live with the Professor. It was a photo of his Mom, Dad, Alex and himself, taken in front of the same plane that had crashed. He still found it odd to see himself without the glasses that had become such a part of him.

After a few moments of looking at it, he could feel Jean's telepathic question, obviously wondering where he was. With a sigh, he slid the photo back into the box of photos, and shut the drawer. He saw Remy look up, and gave a wave in his direction as he left the room to meet Jean.

Remy thought about asking Scott about things with Rogue, but decided against it. He could wait until he returned from New Orleans. And make no mistake, he would return. Even if his father hadn't found a way out of the marriage to Belle, he was sure his brother or cousin might have some ideas. Frowning slightly, he did wonder what might happen should there not be a way out of marrying Belle. The woman would surely end up killing him in his sleep; Belle wanted to rule both guilds, she had told him so years ago. And a "family guy" as Belle had once accused him of being, would not suit the blood-thirsty woman and her vision of how the guilds should be.

But for now, he would enjoy his last week with the X-men. And first on his list of things to do...go annoy Pitor until he agreed to go do a DR session with him. He needed a good workout.

**Garage -**

"So, any idea what movie you want to see?" Scott asked his girlfriend as he held open the car door for her to slide in.

"A comedy would be nice. Isn't that new Jim Carrey movie out? Bruce Almighty?" Jean asked, knowing that Scott had a bit of a soft spot for Jim Carrey's comedy flicks.

"Yeah, it is," Scott said, closing the door once Jean was in. As he walked around to the driver's side, he smiled at her, hoping to get one in return. He did, but he could see it was forced. Something was on Jean's mind. It was just a matter of how soon she would tell him what that was.

As Scott started the car, Jean watched him, trying hard to be happy. It was hard, knowing that she'd have to confront him at some point about what she had discovered in the wee hours of the morning, but she tried.

Sensing her mood, Scott reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze, his silent way of conveying his willingness to listen. With that, Scott retracted his hand, and began to ease the car out of the garage. All of the way down the drive, he kept looking at her out of the corner of his eye. He half wondered if she had picked up on his recent thoughts, despite his attempts to conceal them from her. And that dream last night...well it had gone from a "PG" rating, to bordering on "R" by the time he woke up. He only hoped she hadn't found out about that!

Jean gave Scott a genuine smile when he squeezed her hand, and he returned that smile. She found herself wondering if perhaps it was worth ignoring it all and trying to make her relationship with Scott as it had been at the beginning. But she scrapped that idea as soon as it came. She could not ignore something like this, even if she wanted to.

The short drive to the theater was quiet, and even as they stood in line for tickets, then popcorn, the only words exchanged between them were brief questions about what the other wanted. Once in the movie, both of them had trouble concentrating on it. Scott because he could tell Jean was upset about something, and he worried what that might be. Jean was dreading the end of the movie, because she intended on asking Scott to take them somewhere they could speak privately.

As the movie finally let out, Scott slid an arm around Jean's shoulders and used his free hand to throw their trash into a nearby bin. "Did you want to go grab a bite before we go home?"

"Actually..." Jean began, savoring the feel of Scott's arm about her, "I was hoping we could go somewhere to talk."

Internally, Scott winced. Outside, his stoic mask fell into place, and he nodded. "If that's what you want to do," he said.

"It is," Jean replied.

"Then lets find somewhere to talk."

**Bayville Park, near a picnic area -**

Jean and Scott had been wondering around the park for nearly half an hour, and still Jean hadn't begun to speak. To be truthful, Scott was wondering if she would. Beside him, Jean struggled to find the right words to say. She had always loved him, in her own way. But a part of her was starting to wonder if it was enough.

"I know how you feel about her."

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop it, and had Scott stopping dead in his tracks. He turned slowly to face her, his expression one of pure shock. "Jean, I..."

"Don't. Don't try to deny it, Scott," she said. "Last night, for the first time in weeks, your mind was completely open to me." A flicker of fear passed through his eyes, and she had to wonder if there was more to his dream she hadn't seen. Deciding it was better if she didn't know, she just continued. "I saw how you've felt about her...from the beginning."

Scott sighed. "Jean, I'm sorry...I tried to..." He took a deep breath. "I still care about you too," he said, opening his mind to her as he used to, allowing her to see the truth in that statement.

Jean smiled sadly. "I know. I'm just worried, Scott. You don't want to hurt either of us, but Scott...you will, and are...because you can't make up your mind."

Scott reached for her, only to have her move away at the last second. "Jean..."

"I think you need to figure out what...and who...it is you want, Scott. And maybe I do too..." she admitted, causing Scott to raise an eyebrow. Finally, she sighed. "I stayed up most of the night thinking, after discovering how you felt about Rogue. And Scott...it scares me. Because I'm not that upset."

Scott stood still, trying to decide how to feel about Jean's admission. It was then he realized he shouldn't have to figure out how to feel. He should either be relieved, or upset. There was no other logical responses. He either loved Jean, and would be upset she didn't feel the same, or he didn't and would be relieved that they could quit pretending to have a relationship. And to be honest, he knew it wasn't anger or sadness he felt at her admission. That only left relief, which as he thought on it, he realized that wasn't quite right either. It was more a type of disappointment, that after all of the time and effort he had put into finally being able to date Jean, he didn't feel as strongly as he had convinced himself he did.

Jean seemed to pick up on his thoughts, and her smile faded. "I had rather the same reaction," she admitted. "You're still my best friend," she said, and Scott noticed tears forming in her eyes. "But...I don't love you...not like I told myself I did."

**Xavier Mansion, 2 days later, Poolside -**

It was yet another glorious day of summer vacation, with temperatures nearing 78°, and the skies a clear blue with no clouds in sight. Rather than drag Rogue out of the mansion for what would've been the forth day in a row, everyone seemed content to enjoy the day at home, hanging out near the pool, and Logan had volunteered to cook both lunch and dinner on the massive grill. As it was nearing 1pm, Logan was just finishing cooking up an incredible amount of hamburgers and hot dogs, which had been prepared by Ororo and Jean. Looking up from the grill, Logan let his pale sky blue eyes focus on the girl he affectionately had nicknamed 'Stripes.' She was sitting on a pool lounger near the other girls, though while they all wore their swimwear, she was covered head to toe as usual.

Logan did approve of the fact the other girls had talked her into wearing something almost normal though. It was far too nice out, and he had always felt that Rogue took too much responsibility upon herself to keep her deadly skin away from the others at the mansion. The other residents knew well and good what could happen with only a brush of her skin, and knew to avoid any exposed areas by now. Not that he wanted to see the girl he thought of as a daughter clad in some of the skimpy swimwear the other girls wore, but it would be nice to see the girl at least wear the special long-sleeved swimsuit the Professor had gotten for her, even if she did have to wear one of those silly skirts over her legs while not in the pool.

In fact, she was wearing one of those light-weight wrap-around skirts now. It was a mix of shades of purple, blue and green, with just a touch of black, and was tied at her waist. Instead of a swimsuit, because she found it too dangerous to go swimming with the others, she had on a dark turquoise spaghetti strap shirt, with a soft green mesh over it. Logan knew nothing of fashion, but he thought the look suited her. It made her look like a normal teenage girl. Though perhaps it was best to call Rogue a young woman, with all she had been through and come out stronger for.

A hand on his shoulder drew Logan from his musings, and he turned his head to look at Ororo, who was smiling at him. "Ever the protector," she teased him gently, finding it sweet how he had taken to the Goth girl.

Logan gave an unamused grunt, flipping some burgers onto a serving platter that he passed off to Bobby as he came to retrieve them. "Girl gets inta trouble just by breathin' Ro," he said, then paused to take a sip of the lemonade Ororo handed him. God, he wanted a beer. "She needs someone t' watch out for her."

Ororo squeezed his shoulder, her sapphire eyes full of understanding. "And you hate that you won't be able to do so, far too soon."

"Damn straight," he muttered, letting his gaze turn back to Rogue for a moment. As if knowing he was watching her, Rogue glanced up from her conversation with Wanda and Kitty to give him a small smile. Before he could stop himself, Logan felt the corners of his mouth turn up in a bit of a grin in response to her smile. That damn kid always did have a strange affect on him. He felt protective of all of the students, but there was just something about Rogue. It was a sentiment that many seemed to echo, even Magneto had expressed a fatherly fondness for the girl. Okay, honestly, he needed a beer if he was going to be sitting here letting his thoughts wonder.

Ororo raised an eyebrow at him, a silent reminder to watch his language. Did she not remember they had cable and that the kids lived in the real world? Logan knew for a fact that the kids had heard worse, and yet none of them used profanity much, if at all. Oh the rules he abides by to keep Ororo and the Professor happy.

"Sorry darlin," he said, though he knew she wasn't mad. The smile he got for the apology made it worth it, after all. Shutting the grill off, Logan moved the last of the food to a spare plate, then turned to full look at Ororo. "Its gonna be strange, the kid not bein' here," he said after a moment.

"It will be," Ororo agreed. "I wonder if she and Charles have decided who will go with them."

"If they have, he ain't sayin," Logan answered, glancing to where the Professor and Dr. McCoy were deep in conversation with Magneto. "Hell, its strange seein' old Bucket Head and his lackeys around here. Not sure I'll get used to it."

Ororo gave a soft laugh, the one that always made Logan want to smile. "Well, they seem happy here, Logan. So I'd assume you had best get used to their presence."

All Logan could bring himself to do was grunt in agreement.

Over on the other side of the pool, Kitty glanced briefly towards the boys, then looked over at Jean. Rumors were starting to circulate that Jean and Scott had broken up a couple of days ago at the movies, though there was no confirmation at this point. That was mostly because no one could bring themselves to question either of them. She had a sneaking suscipsion that Rogue might have asked Scott about it, but she had no proof of that either. Kitty was a die-hard romantic, a fact she took no trouble to hide. And while she had initially thought that perhaps Rogue might end up dating the smooth talking Cajun, Remy, with the recent possible break-up of Jean and Scott, she was starting to re-think that. Everyone, baring Scott, knew that Rogue had a crush on the leader from the moment she had seen him for the first time. But what few realized was that Rogue still had feelings for him.

Oh, Rogue denied it, of course. But Kitty knew Rogue better than that. They were best friends, and while Kitty lacked her friend's way of knowing every secret, she knew how to read Rogue 99% of the time, and there was little she didn't know (or so she thought) about the Goth. Lately, however, Kitty realized in reviewing recent events, it seemed that Scott might return the feelings that Rogue kept so well hidden. They would be a great couple, she had decided after thinking about it for a moment. Scott was normally so uptight and had a border-line OCD behavior, likely due to his lack of control of his powers. When you would see him 'alone' with Rogue though, he was much more like the teenager he still was, instead of the adult he tried too hard to be.

"Kit, are ya even listenin' t' meh?"

Rogue's voice drew Kitty out of her musings, and Kitty flashed her friend an apologetic smile. "Like, sorry. I was just thinking, like, about all of the rumors that are, like, going around."

Rogue sighed, then gave Kitty an amused look. "Kit, ya have got t' quit sayin' 'like' so much...it drops your IQ like 100 points, no mattah how smart ya really are."

Kitty glared at Rogue, causing Wanda to laugh. "She has a point, Kitty," Wanda said, removing her new designer sunglasses (what, she had been given her father's credit card. Of course she got the good stuff.) to look at Kitty properly. "Everyone here knows you're smart, I mean you took Trig in your sophomore year for god sake. But as soon as you start talking, that doesn't matter much."

Kitty seemed puzzled that Wanda knew that, then looked at Rogue, realizing her source of information. "Its, like, how I talk. Is it really that bad?"

Rogue gave a soft smile, shaking her head. "Not if someone knows ya, Kit. But if ya still talk lahke that come th' time ya graduate college," Rogue paused at the look on Kitty's face. "Don't give meh that look, ya know ya'll go t' some tech college and graduate top o' your class. But that won't mattah when ya go for a job interview still talkin' with that valley gal talk."

Kitty filed the latter half of that statement away for thinking about later, and instead focused on the rest of what Rogue had said. "You, like, really think I'd, like, be top of my class?"

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Course Ah do."

Kitty launched herself at Rogue, hugging the surprised Goth. "I'm totally gonna miss you!" Kitty said, her voice cracking.

Rogue had stiffened at the initial contact, but when her mind wasn't bombarded by new thoughts from Kitty, she relaxed and hugged her back. It took every ounce of self control Rogue had not to begin to tear up, as she could tell Kitty was doing. "Ah'll miss ya too Kit," she said softly, giving her friend a smile when she finally pulled back onto her own pool lounge.

"Sorry..." Kitty began, wiping furiously at the tears that had spilled. "It just like, totally hit me that there's only 4 more days..."

Rogue nodded. Last night, she had finally begun to pack up the things she had decided to take with her immediately. Mainly her music, clothes and her book collection. After her day out with Kurt, Rogue and Kitty had gone out for a spa day, courtesy of Mystique. It had required Rogue claiming a skin condition that required the people who worked on her hands, feet, etc. to wear latex gloves, but it was so worth it. And yesterday, much to Rogue's surprise, Ororo, Hank and the Professor had taken her out to a rehearsal of "Wicked" in New York City. It turned out that Hank had an old friend who was helping get the production ready, and had pulled some strings to get them in for the rehearsal. It had been amazing, and Rogue knew she would have to see it again at some point once the show was properly open.

Wanda excused herself, rising from her lounge. "I'll be back," she said vaguely, heading off towards the house. Rogue and Kitty watched her for a few moments, confused, then shrugged it off. Sometimes Wanda still just needed some alone time.

"Its hard t' believe," Rogue murmured, glancing around the pool area. "At one point Ah nevah thought Ah'd wanna be heah," she said, referring to her days with the Brotherhood, "But now, Ah don't wanna leave..."

"It won't be the same without you," Jean interrupted, sitting down on the end of Kitty's lounge.

Kitty smiled at Jean, glad the red-head had come over. "No...it won't."

Rogue gave a small smile, her gray eyes settling on Jean. "Might be bettah," she teased.

Both Kitty and Jean gave a forced smile. "I doubt that," Jean said, adjusting the strap of her olive green swimsuit.

Seeing the forced smiles, Rogue frowned. "Gawd, Ah'm glad ya'll will miss meh, but do we hafta be all depressed about it?" She sighed, leaning back onto her lounge. "Ah'm not leavin' forevah, and Ah'll be finally getting' control...can't someone try t' be happy for meh?"

"We are happy for you," Jean insisted. "But you're one of us...like you said, we're family."

Kitty nodded. "And, like, that means we're also sad you'll, like, be leaving."

Rogue seemed to accept this, and closed her eyes against the sunlight for a moment. "Ah know..."

Kitty gave a puzzled look, then recalled how well Rogue knew them. Of course she knew how they were feeling. Deciding it was time to change the subject, Kitty looked to Jean. "So...like, there are some totally interesting rumors going around..."

Having heard the rumors, Rogue cracked her eyes open, wondering if Jean would answer.

"I've heard," Jean murmured, sighing softly. "And you want to know if they're true..."

Rogue opened her eyes, looking at the red-head. "If ya don't wanna talk about it," she began, only to be cut off.

"No...its ok." Jean said, keeping her voice light and low to prevent curiosity in the other girls who weren't that far away. "I'd rather talk about it with you two than someone else," she admitted.

"So its, like, true then?" Kitty said, surprise lacing her tone.

Jean nodded, causing Kitty's jaw to drop. "Can you not look so surprised, I don't want to talk about this with the others."

Kitty closed her mouth quickly, and tried to recover from the small shock. "But...like..why?" she said after a moment, keeping her voice soft. "I mean...like...you two were, like, the power couple."

Jean wondered how much to reveal, not knowing when Scott would finally let Rogue know how he really felt, and thus decided on a portion of the truth. "We both realized that the reality of us together wasn't as great as the fantasy that we, and everyone else, had built it up to be."

All three girls were quiet for a moment, when finally Rogue decided to speak up. "Ah'm sorry..." she said, causing Jean to look at her with a small amount of surprise. Noticing it, Rogue gave a wry smile. "Ah may not be yo' biggest fan at times, Jeannie, but Ah c'n still tell ya're hurtin'."

Appreciating her honesty, Jean smiled softly. "You know, I've never understood why you and I couldn't be closer friends."

Kitty seemed surprised by the bluntness the two were exhibiting, but she stayed quiet, wondering what else they might say so long as she didn't interrupt. Rogue, however, just quirked an eyebrow, knowing that was a question that had bothered Jean for a good while. "Ah dunno," she admitted. "Ah guess its a mattah of us bein' just enough alike, but still s' different." It was the best she could come up with, even with as much as she had pondered the question.

And it was true. Both were incredibly powerful, smart, and each beautiful in their own way. Jean being the more modern beauty, fitting the current thought of what a young woman should be...thin, with only a hint of physical strength, looking very much like a model. Rogue however was a more classic beauty, curved in 'all the right places,' and every muscle perfectly toned in a lean, gymnast or dancer's physique. Rogue was sure everyone thought she was jealous of Jean, but truth was, she knew Jean too well to be jealous of her.

Jean nodded, accepting Rogue's explanation. "That sounds about right," Jean admitted. It made sense to her anyhow.

Kitty however, was looking between the two, not getting it at all. "Well...It doesn't make sense to me, but, like, I guess that doesn't, like matter."

Rogue and Jean shared a rare smile, then looked at Kitty. "Not really," Rogue answered, even as her eyes started to turn green.

"You know, its like totally creepy the way your eyes do that, Rogue."

Rogue frowned. "Do what?"

"Go back and forth between green and gray," Jean answered for Kitty, having never managed to get an explanation out of Scott.

"Oh, raght..." Rogue said softly. "Th' Professah has some thoughts on it, but...nothin' he c'n prove at this point."

"Have your eyes always been like that?" Jean asked.

"No. Only since mah powahs showed up." She paused, toying with the tie on her skirt for a moment, then looked back at Kitty and Jean. "Th' Professah reckons it might be tied t' mah powahs, an' how active th' ghosts...psyches are."

Picking up on a bit of Rogue's thoughts, Jean frowned. "You don't agree?"

"Ah dunno...but if its true, what he thinks, then mah eyes wouldn't be at all green raght now...cause th' psyches are active as hell t'day," Rogue admited.

Kitty frowned, knowing that when the psyches were active, it could give Rogue a killer headache. "Are you ok?"

"Dr. McCoy already gave meh somethin' earliah fo' th' headache. Ah'll be ok," Rogue assured them, noting that Jean too was concerned.

Suddenly, a pair of Ray-Ban (1) sunglasses was in front of her, causing Rogue to look up. "Ya look like ya need dese, Chere,"

All three girls noted they were a woman's style, and being Ray-Ban, very expensive. Rogue raised an eyebrow, smirking at her favorite Cajun. She lifted her gloved hand to take them from him and examined them for a moment. "Where'd ya get these, sugah?"

"Got em for ya...as a goin' away present. Noticed ya didn't have none," Remy said, not bothering to tell her that he did have a second present for her, which she would receive the night of the going-away party.

Both Kitty and Jean melted at Remy's thoughtfulness, even if it was a simple gift, he had obviously put thought into it, and spared no expense. Well, provided he hadn't just gotten a five-finger discount on them.

"Ya didn't steal em, did ya?" Rogue asked, daring him to lie to her.

"Non." Remy looked offended. "Takes de meanin' out o' de gift if I didn' pay for it, Chere. Even I know dat."

Smiling broadly now, Rogue stood and hugged him, then pulled back to put on the sunglasses. She could have sighed in relief once they were on, now that the brightness of the sun wasn't quite so annoying. She looked to Kitty and Jean, smile still in place. "How do Ah look?"

The glasses suited her perfectly, and both girls smiled. "You look great," Jean answered, with Kitty nodding beside her.

"Like, totally perfect," the brunette added, then looked to Remy. "You, like, have great taste."

Gambit smiled, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind Rogue's ear. "T'anks, petite," he said to Kitty, then looked back to Rogue. "Ya wanna go fo' a walk?"

Rogue glanced back to the girls, both of whom were smiling at her. "Ah..." She looked back to Remy. "Ah suppose that'd be ok." She gave a brief wave to Kitty and Jean. "See ya'll latah," she said, even as Remy placed his hand on her lower back to steer her towards a garden path that led off of the pool area.

Kitty and Jean watched Rogue and Remy leave, but they weren't the only ones. Scott had just returned from inside, where he had changed shirts. You would think he would've learned not to wear white shirts by now...they always ended up stained, generally because of the younger students deciding to start up a food fight or something. From behind his ruby shades, his eyes narrowed as he observed the casual manner in which Remy led Rogue down the path, and eventually out of sight. It seemed like every time he wanted to get a moment alone with Rogue lately, someone else claimed her free time. What would it take to get her to spend even part of a day with him? Would he have to wake the poor girl up at some ungodly hour of the morning? Well...that would be the last resort, he told himself. He knew Rogue wasn't a morning person after all.

A brief glance around the pool had him half wondering if it wouldn't be worth just going back inside. He wasn't feeling to social at the moment. But a shout from behind him had him turning, a frown on his face. The frown disappeared the second he realized who was coming in the front door of the mansion, Mystique not far behind in one of her many disguises.

"Dude!" Alex Masters (Summers) exclaimed, as he rushed forward to hug his older brother. "They finally said yes!"

Scott knew instantly what his brother was talking about. Ever since the Apocalypse fiasco, Alex had been on his adopted parents to move to New York, or let him move in to the Xavier Institute permanently. About a week after the fight, Alex had returned to Hawaii at his parent's insistence, but he had definitely not been happy to be parted from his brother. "So, are they moving here, or?" Scott left the question hanging, even as he and Alex hugged.

"Na, they prefer tropical to the cold you get here," Alex said, shrugging as Scott released him. "But they did say they'd visit, and I still get to go back whenever I want."

Scott looked to Xavier, who was just rolling up, Ororo and Erik not far behind. "You knew?" he asked, even though it was a silly question.

Professor Xavier gave a warm smile. "Of course," he said, turning his attention to Alex. "Its good to see you again, Alex."

"You too sir," Alex said, even as he absently rubbed at his hands.

"Your powers still giving you trouble?"

"Yeah, its annoying, bro," Alex complained mildly, turning his gaze to the Professor. "But you said you might have a way to help me now?"

Scott seemed surprised, then something clicked. "Dr. McTaggert," he said, rather than asked, earning a nod from the Professor and a look of confusion from Alex. "She's a friend of the Professor's...and she was able to help him come up with a way to maybe give me control of my powers."

Alex gave a whoop of excitement, causing the others around the pool to turn towards them. It didn't take long for the X-men to congregate around him, with the Brotherhood, Piotr and St. John hanging back. It was a mass of hello's, hugs and handshakes, but eventually everyone but Scott dispersed, allowing the brothers to move to a pair of chairs nearby so they could talk. Once the two were seated, Alex gestured to Jean, half surprised the red-head wasn't hanging around. "You and Jean okay?"

Scott rubbed at the back of his neck, then gave his brother a wry smile. "Um, actually, we broke up a couple days ago..."

Alex leaned forward, a confused look on his face. "What? Dude, you gotta tell me the details, I mean you always said she was perfect..."

Sighing, Scott nodded. "Yeah...look, you promise you won't say anything to any one else?"

At Alex's nod, Scott scooted his chair closer to his brother's, and in a low voice, began to relate the full story.

**Somewhere in the mansion Gardens, 30 minutes later -**

"So, ya enjoyin' ya last week 'ere?"

Rogue gave a sad smile. "Yeah...much as Ah can, ya know?"

"Oui." Remy said, even as he reached down to pluck a white Petunia flower from a nearby plant. He tucked it gently into Rogue's hair, careful to avoid touching her ear or face with his bare fingers, earning him a shy look. The girl honestly had no clue how kissable she could look, he mused.

"Thanks," she murmured, reaching up her gloved hand to gently test the steadiness of the flower's position, then allowed that same hand to reach out and slide down Remy's arm. "Ya been a real sweet-heart these past few weeks, sugah..."

"I try," he said, attempting to maintain his cocky grin. It was harder with her than anyone else. Perhaps because he knew she saw through his facades and masks to the man underneath, an unnerving fact when he cared to dwell on it.

"Ah know..." Rogue moved forward a half step, then paused. "Ya trust meh?"

"Course I do," Remy said, as if it was a very dumb question.

"Just...don't move..." Rogue murmured, and surprised Remy when she reached around to his back pocket, pulling out the bandana she knew he always had stashed there. There was no hesitation from that point, to when she placed the bandana (unfolded) over his cheek, to when she stood on tip-toe to briefly press those perfect purple lips against his covered cheek.

It took every ounce of control he had to not take the bandana from her and use the same method to kiss her senseless, or to crush her to him and not let go. Every time he was with her, it got harder and harder for him to be a gentleman. He had said it before, the woman was a rare treasure, and deserved to be treated as such. But god, it was tempting to use his dirty, creative mind to work around her powers and make her forget all about anyone else. Taking a shaky breath, and trying to keep himself from scaring her off, he closed his eyes, avoiding the picture she made.

"Rogue?!" a voice called from nearby, the accent identifying it easily as Rogue's brother, Kurt. Well, there was a good way to get Remy's mind off of all the dirty things he'd like to do to her.

"Ovah heah, Kurt," Rogue called back, even as she tucked the bandana back into Remy's pocket, it now bearing a perfect imprint of her lips in purple lipstick.

A moment later, there was a 'bamf' sound, and Kurt appeared, his golden eyes settling on Rogue immediately. "Vhy did you vonder off?" he asked, only to notice Remy standing there. "Oh, sorry...am I interrupting?"

"Non," Remy said, giving an easy smile. "Jus' was takin' a short walk t' work of dat meal."

Remy was such a health nut, Kurt easily bought the excuse. "Ah," he glanced back to his sister, who gave him a small smile. "Ze others were thinking of playing a game, I vanted to see if you vould join?"

Rogue gave a one sided shrug. "Dependin' on what they're playin, Ah might."

Kurt held out an arm for his sister, who teasingly pinched his side even as she slipped her arm into his. Kurt gave a laugh, then mock glared at her. "No pinching ze fuzzy dude," he protested, shaking a finger at her.

"Ah couldn't resist," Rogue said easily, still smiling at him. "B'sides, Ah gotta torture ya as much as Ah can b'fore Ah go...mah raght as the big sistah an' all..."

Groaning, Kurt looked to Remy. "Perhaps you and she can valk back," he said. "She is less likely to torture you."

"Don' know 'bout dat, homme," Remy said, smirking. "De femme, she got a devilish streak sometimes."

"An' don't ya forget it," Rogue confirmed, an amused smile on her face.

**A/N: **Ok, so we're through another day before Rogue leaves. I'd write more, but I'm afraid I'll keep focusing on the Scott/Jean break-up if I do. Not what I want. And to anyone questioning the way I wrote that, let me say this: In the show, we watched Scott chase Jean for what, 2 seasons? Then suddenly she decides she loves him, and yay, they're a happy perfect couple. Um, yeah, uh huh. For anyone who didn't notice, there were few scenes where Jean and Scott actually acted like a real couple. If not for the occasional thing the writers threw in, I honestly wouldn't have known that they went from friends to dating. Yes, some couples are just that way, but if Scott and Jean are supposed to be this perfect super couple, it just seems...off to me. Plus, the whole oh, Jean realizes Scott and Rogue are in love, lets have her go all Dark Phoenix, way too over done...and not just in Evo either.

If you're interested in seeing the sunglasses Remy gave Rogue, you can Google "Sunglasses Hut," and search RB8305. They reminded me of the glasses from Xtreme X-men, which is probably one of my fav series from the comics. Anyhow, now to go back through the story and ensure that Hank and Moira are properly addressed as "Dr," which as "guest" pointed out, is the way it should be. Hadn't even thought about it until they reminded me. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'd say we'll have 2 more to get through the next 4 days leading up to Rogue's departure, plus (in all likely-hood) a full chapter for the party. Yay for fast updates!

**Review Replies:**

**Guest: **I am sorry that I posted it so late for you last time, but I'm glad you felt it was worth staying up to read. I do wish you had an account so you could ask me all of your questions, but we'll settle for in review for now! Hopefully I answered the two questions you did ask me, and you feel that I answered them well. If not, please let me know so I can give further reasoning. How did you like the break-up? Tasteful enough without being the cliche? And wordy reviews are the best! You made me think hard about how to write the Jean/Scott confrontation (which I had in mind anyhow), and pointed out a couple of errors that can really mess up a chapter's flow. So thank you! Looking forward to another review from you, they always make me smile!

**Anoymous136:** Glad you approve of how I'm making Scogue work! And I do mean that. Scogue can be a limited fan base, especially if not written properly. I love Scott and Rogue together, but...there are only a handful of stories about them in Evo-verse that I can stand, at least where they're actually a couple. See you next time!


	10. Act I, Ch 9-Southern Comfort

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Chapter 9, "Southern Comfort"**_

**Author Notes: ****Well, lets see how fast this chapter gets done. Maybe I can work on doing 2-3 updates a week on a regular basis. I'm a wife, plus mother of a toddler, but this story still seems to take up a lot of the free space in my brain. LOL. And I want to give more cookies and some hugs to all my wonderful reviewers, and those who added me or the story to alerts/favorites. Every time I get a review, it makes me want to dance. Enjoy the chapter. Review responses are at the bottom, as always.**

**Oh, and thank god for Google. I have used it to research time-appropriate things, such as the X-box game named in this chapter, weather in New York state, and multiple other things. Research is good! :) Without it, I wouldn't have known that Bayville, New York is a real place! Cool, right?! Go to Wikipedia and search for Bayville, NY. Has a map and everything.**

**Also, does anyone know Piotr's nickname for Kitty in the comics? I can't seem to find it, and its bugging me. I know he had one for her.**

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred, Mystique), and my own unique Excalibur team...you'll find out who they are later.

**Days until Rogue's departure – 4**

**Mansion Kitchen, around 10am -**

"Are you sure, Rogue?" Ororo questioned as she helped Sam and Amara finish getting the breakfast dishes in from the dining room.

"Ah'm sure," Rogue said with a nod, leaning against a counter. "Ah've nevah really 'taken ovah' th' kitchen heah, shown ya'll what real Southern cookin' is lahke."

Sam's head whipped to Rogue, excitement showing in his face. "Ya plannin' on doin' a real Southern meal Miss Rogue?" he asked.

"Why on earth do you call her Miss Rogue, when you don't do it for anyone else but Ms. Munroe?" Amara asked, putting a hand on her hip as the sink filled with warm water.

"Cause mah mama'd whoop meh good if'n she knew Ah didn't show a Southern lady th' proper respect," Sam said simply, finding that to be reason enough.

Rogue smiled at Sam. "Ya wanna help meh show these Yanks an' foreigners how we Southerners do a meal?" she teased, even as Ororo quirked an eyebrow at her. Ororo was a wonderful cook, but her fried chicken just was not the same as what Rogue (or Sam) was used to.

"It'd be mah pleasure, Miss Rogue," Sam assured her. "When were ya thinkin' on startin?" he asked, knowing his mother had always started prepping for a big dinner around mid-day to ensure things would all be able to be on the table hot at the same time.

Glancing at the clock, Rogue shrugged. "Well, Ah'll need t' run t' th' store quickly and grab a few things...Say 'round noon?"

Nodding, Sam turned to start washing the dishes with Amara. "Ah'll be heah," he said, then allowed Amara to draw him into a discussion on what 'real' Southern cuisine was.

Ororo smiled at Rogue. "Do you need any help doing the shopping?"

"Ah was gonna grab Kit and Kurt, Ah figure they'd lahke t' go..."

"Alright then, if you need a hand with anything, let me know," Ororo reminded the girl, then turned, presumably to go work in her garden for a while.

Rogue walked out of the kitchen, wondering where to find her brother and Kitty, when she found herself bumping into a solid wall of muscle. Startled, she looked up, only to find Piotr looking at her in amusement. "Oh! Ah'm sorry, Petey,"

"It is ok," Piotr assured her, a smile on his face. "I should apologize to you."

"No, ya shouldn't," Rogue said, returning the smile. "Ah don't suppose ya've seen Kurt or Kitty, have you?"

Piotr frowned, thinking. "Last I saw Kurt, he was in the rec room. I have not seen Kitty today."

"Thanks," Rogue replied, giving the gentle giant a pat on the arm. "See ya 'round, Petey."

Altering her path, Rogue headed to the rec-room, hoping to find her brother. Once closer, she could hear sounds of masculine laughter, and the definite sound of some console shooter game. Smirk in place, she leaned against the door frame, watching the assembled boys. Lance and Pietro seemed to be engaged in playing the newest 007 game, Nightfire, on the X-box, while the other boys cheered them on. Jamie and Bobby were sitting on the floor, surrounded by a few other X-box game cases, both of them engrossed in the screen. Over on the loveseat, Scott was reclined, legs stretched over the other seat, seeming lost in though. At Rogue's appearance in the doorway though, his head shot up, and he smiled at her.

"Hey Rogue," he said, gaining her the attention of the other boys who all greeted her, but Kurt was no where in sight.

Rogue gave a small smile in Scott's direction. "Any o' ya'll seen mah brothah?" she asked.

Bobby and Jamie shook their heads, while Lance glanced back over at her. "He was in here a few minutes ago, but no idea where he is now. Sorry, Rogue."

Scott gave a small frown. "Want help finding him?"

Rogue gave a shrug, even as Scott stood up from the couch and walked to her. "Ah was just gonna see if he wanted t' go t' th' store with meh."

Scott's small frown turned to a look of confusion. "What do you need to go to the store for?"

"Ah talked 'Ro inta lettin' meh an' Sam take ovah the kitchen fo' dinnah," Rogue said, smiling.

"Really?" Scott asked, excitement working its way into his expression, even as he followed Rogue towards the stairs. "You want me to come with you to the store?"

"Well, Ah was gonna grab Kurt and Kitty, but..." She paused, turning to face Scott, 'his' smile playing on her lips. "Ah haven't spent any time with ya since we went t' get dinnah that naght...so, Ah reckon that's good enough reason to let you take meh t' th' store.."

Scott smiled broadly at her, then gently touched her back, as they both turned to head to the garage. "I know, I was about ready to resort to drastic action if we didn't get time to hang out soon."

Rogue quirked an eyebrow at him. "Drastic action, huh? What exactly does that mean, sugah?"

Scott fought the shiver that went through him every time she called him 'sugar,' and shrugged. "Waking you up at some ungodly hour to kidnap you from the mansion so no one else could try and steal you away."

Laughter filled her green eyes, even though not a sound came from her lips. "Ya got a death wish, Summahs? Ya know wakin' meh up b'fore 8am when we don't have school results in bodily harm t' whoevah was stupid enough."

Scott's broad smile still hadn't left his lips, and he reached out to pull her into a one-armed hug. "I think I'd risk it. Besides, I still owe you a game of Racquetball."

Rogue leaned into the hug, enjoying the warmth he always seemed to radiate. There was something about both Scott and Remy, with their energy-based powers, that kept their bodies pleasantly warm, and Rogue loved it (not that she'd admit it). "Yeah, ya do," she agreed. "T'morrah good for ya?"

"Perfect," Scott said, then, having a thought, glanced down at her as they entered the garage. "How about we go out for breakfast tomorrow too? There's a great diner on the other side of town that makes the best waffles."

Rogue groaned. "Ya know Ah can't say no t' waffles," she said, casting a dirty look in his direction as they both got into his car.

Scott's smile turned mischievous, a look Rogue was sure no one else had seen on his face. "That was the idea. I want to spend as much time with you as possible."

Suddenly, Rogue smacked her head. "Gawd, Ah'm an idiot...Ah already told Remy an' Logan Ah'd do stuff with them t'morrow."

Scott frowned. "All day?"

"Logan an' I are goin' to a car show in the mornin, then when Ah get back, Remy has some sorta lunch plans. And he also said somethin' about takin' meh out, but he was real vague about it."

Scott sighed. "Well, can I book the day after tomorrow then? Breakfast, a drive, then we can play Racquetball at that new court in town?" He gave her his most pathetic look, causing her to do this odd face as if she couldn't decide whether to laugh or show pity towards him. "I promise I'll leave the afternoon open so you can do something with someone else if you want."

Finally Rogue's expression settled on that same caring look she had given him 3 days ago after her shopping trip with the girls, the one that made Scott feel as if she might really have more than friendly feelings for him. "Th' day aftah t'morrow is all yours, sugah," she assured him, reaching over and letting her hand rest on his where it sat on the gear shift.

As they pulled out onto the road that led into town, Scott took a chance, moving his fingers and causing them to lace with hers. It was a bit awkward, with her hand over his, but he still relished the feeling. He let his gaze leave the road for a moment, taking in her slightly dazed expression as she looked at their hands. "Then I guess I'll have to enjoy this trip to the store, since you won't be at home tomorrow."

Rogue's eyes stayed locked on their interlaced fingers for quite a few moments, not believing what she was seeing. Slowly, she raised those deep green eyes to meet his through the ruby glasses as best she could, confusion written in every minute feature of her expression. _Suddenly he an' Jean are broken up, an' now he's holdin' mah hand?_ Rogue thought, wondering if she was making more of it than she should. But then, Scott gave her than slow, warm smile that she knew he never showed to anyone else, and her heart skipped a beat. She found herself cursing her own timing, and the fact that she was leaving. The guy she had been pining over for two years finally starts to pay notice to her, and its just in time for her to up and move to another country. _Just mah damn luck, _she mused.

"You ok?" Scott asked, unlocking their fingers and turning his hand in hers so he could squeeze it, but he still didn't let go.

"Ah, uh..." Rogue gave herself a mental shake. _Get it together, gal,_ she told herself, then smiled at him. "Yeah, just got lost in thought."

His expression turned to one of concern as they pulled to a stop at a red light. "You sure?" he asked, lacing their fingers again, unable to help himself. "You looked kind of...dazed."

_Just ask him, _Rogue told herself, _the worst he can say is that him holding your hand means nothing. _"Its just...you've nevah held mah hand b'fore..." she began, her voice telling her uncertainty. "Ah guess Ah'm not sure what t' make of it..."

Scott took a deep breath, knowing he couldn't lie to her. "I wanted to," he said, then seeing she was still confused, continued. "I, um..." His tongue seemed to freeze on him again, and he could have groaned. Here was a perfect opportunity to tell her how he felt, and his stupid tongue wouldn't cooperate. Suddenly, Rogue squeezed his hand and gave him a sad smile.

"Ya c'n tell meh latah...maybeh aftah dinnah?" she said, obviously sensing he wanted to tell her something, but couldn't find the words.

Scott nodded eagerly, relieved she seemed to understand this was important. "Yeah," he said, then gave her a wry grin. "Maybe a good dinner will help my brain work properly."

Rogue smiled as they pulled into the local warehouse grocery. "Well, we'll see won't we?" It was clear to Scott that she was still a bit confused, and wanted an explanation, but she was willing to feign happiness to keep from putting him on the spot.

He took her hand in his again, deciding he liked the feeling, and so long as she wasn't complaining or pulling away, he would enjoy it while he could. "So what all do you need?"

Rogue felt a tingle go up her arm as he took her hand again, and paused inside the door to let him get them a cart one handed. "Ororo said we were just about outta chicken, so Ah'll need enough t' feed us all. Then potatos, a green veg, and Ah guess Ah'll figure out th' rest as we go..."

"Maybe we should have brought someone for the heavy lifting then," Scott joked, getting a real smile out of Rogue. "But I think we'll manage. I'm too happy that we get to have some time together."

Another tingle went through Rogue, this time running down her spine, at his words. "Meh too, " she admitted, keeping with his slow pace as he pushed the cart towards the food isles. They started in the dry goods, and Rogue gently disentangled her hand from his to put some items in the cart to make some biscuits and cornbread from scratch.

They worked their way through the isles over the next hour, with Rogue adding things to the cart and Scott pushed it. Every time she moved to stand back at the front of the cart, Scott would reclaim her hand; sometimes Rogue would give him a shy smile when he did, causing him to squeeze her hand gently. Rogue wasn't sure she could wait until later to know what on earth was going through his head, but with him unable to find the words he wanted to say to her, the only alternative was using her powers. And she refused to do so...sometimes, words meant everything.

**Xavier Mansion, around 12:30pm -**

"Ya look like ya two need a hand, Chere," Remy said from the doorway of the kitchen, watching as Rogue and Sam worked on beginning their prep work for dinner.

"Remy," Rogue sighed his name in relief. "Ya, we do," she said, knowing he was a fabulous cook in his own right, though his food would likely burn the mouths clean off of most of the mansion's residents. The man loved his spices.

"Where ya want me t' jump in?" he queried, removing his sunglasses and the gloves he wore when riding his motorcycle, setting them aside on the counter.

"Anywhere," Sam interjected, up to his elbows in the whole chickens Rogue had bought. She had insisted to Scott that it was better to cut them into portions themselves, so as to have the least amount of waste, and while Sam agreed, it was still a lot of work.

Nodding, Remy motioned to Sam to move. "Ya let me do dat, den, mon ami. 'M sure dat Rogue don' wan' me no where near de spices," he said, grinning at the Goth girl.

"Ya got that raght, Cajun," Rogue said, looking up from the bacon she was cutting into pieces to help flavor the fresh green beans. "Aftah ya wash ya hands, Sam, why don't ya find us some music? Its too quiet in heah."

Sam looked skeptical, knowing full well what Rogue listened to generally. "Ya sure?"

Realizing why he had that look on his face, Rogue chuckled. "Country music is fahne, if ya c'n find a station worth listenin' to."

No one else in the mansion really listened to country music, so Sam enjoyed the opportunity to do so with some fellow Southerners. He gave his hands a good wash, then walked to the stereo on the counter, and played with the tuner, trying to find a station. After a few minutes of no luck, he shut the radio off. "Ah cain't believe this...New York City has no country radio station!"

Rogue fought the urge to chuckle again, then remembered the kitchen radio had a 3-CD changer. "Why not go grab a couple CD's then?"

Sam nodded eagerly. "Be raght back," he said, then darted out of the room to get them music to listen to.

"Ya know, dat boy acts like he got a crush on you, Chere," Remy said casually, switching from the knife he had been using to a pair of poultry shears in order to cut a thigh free of the bird.

Rogue rolled her eyes, but a small smile curved her lips anyhow. "If he does, he'll grow outta it," she said, surprising the Cajun. "He's a sweet boy, but Ah reckon he probably sees meh more lahke a big sistah than anythin."

Remy considered this, then shrugged in his lazy way. "Mebbe ya right." He watched her for a moment as she finished cutting the bacon into pieces, and scooped it into one of the largest pots he had ever seen. "No wonder ya startin' all dis s' early...Gonna take f'ever t' cook in dose pots."

Rogue sighed, nodding. "Ah know. Its th' one thing Ah hate 'bout havin' s' many heah now...seems like Ororo's up at th' crack o' dawn when she makes breakfast for us so it'll be ready in time, then she's in heah sometimes as early as 2pm t' make sure dinner's ready on time too. Its a wondah th' woman ain't told th' Professah t' hire a chef for us yet."

Remy chuckled. "S her way o' showin' she cares, if ya believe m' Tante Mattie. And I do, o'course."

Rogue dumped a massive bag full of green beans into a colander to wash, then turned as Kitty entered the kitchen. "Hey Kit," she greeted, setting the colander in the sink and turning on the water. Her eyes turned to Remy, and she smiled. "O'course ya trust ya Tante, Remy."

Kitty gave the two a confused look, realizing the had walked into the middle of a conversation. "Like, what are you two doing in here, like, so early?" Opening the smaller fridge, Kitty pulled out a bottle of the Diet Snapple she and Jubilee went halves on to buy every week.

Just then, Sam came rushing in, a stack of CD's in his arm. "Hey Kitty," he greeted, walking directly to the CD player. "So, Ah got a mix of old country and new, wasn't sure what ya favored, Miss Rogue."

Rogue rinsed her hands, then grabbed a towel to dry them as she moved to see what CD's Sam had grabbed. "Sam, Remy an' Ah are makin dinnah t'night," she told Kitty, sifting through a few of the disc cases that Sam handed her. "These'll be fahne," she said, handing a The Judds CD, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood back to Sam for him to put in the CD player. The rest of the discs she placed on the counter, turning to look at Kitty, who was doing her best surprised face.

"You're cooking?" she said after a few moments, then stared at the CD player when the Country music started playing. "And listening to Country music?" She shook her head quickly, as if trying to clear it. Finally, those sky blue eyes focused on Rogue again. "Like, who are you, and what did you like do with Rogue?"

Rolling her eyes, even as Sam and Remy chuckled, Rogue went back to the sink to check the beans and make sure they were rinsed properly. "Ah happen t' lahke cookin, Kitty, and Ah don't mind Country when Ah'm in th' mood for it. Ya only made it through half o' mah music collection b'fore ya gave up findin' somethin' b'sides Rock, not mah fault ya nevah saw the Country CDs."

Kitty walked over to the kitchen table and sat down, facing Rogue, but turned away from where Remy was still cutting up the chickens. "Like, how did I never know that?"

"Ya nevah asked," was the reply, even as Rogue lifted the colander of green beans out and dumped it into the massive pot where she had put the bacon. A small amount was left out to be steamed for Kitty, the only house vegetarian, and Rogue set those aside, still in the colander. She grabbed a small step stool that was kept in the kitchen, and used it to see into the pot as she added a few other spices, then glanced to Sam. "Sam, ya mind dicin' an onion or two for meh?"

"Course not," Sam answered, heading for the pantry and pulling out the bag of onions.

Over the next half hour, Kitty watched the three Southerners work in harmony, with Rogue definitely the one in charge. Kurt, Scott and Evan came wondering in, just as Remy pulled Rogue away from the cabbage she was chopping for a coleslaw, and started dancing with her to "Rockin' With the Rhythm of the Rain" by the Judds. Rogue laughed, a real laugh, as Remy added a spin that had nothing to do with the beat of the music. Kurt and Evan found themselves laughing as well, causing Rogue to whip her head in their direction. The broad smile on her face seemed to brighten at the sight of them, and she pulled away from Remy to accept a hug from her brother.

Scott smiled at her as she released Kurt. "Looks like you guys are having fun in here," he said, looking at the amount of work they had already gotten accomplished. "And getting a lot done."

Rogue glanced back at the food laden counters, and nodded. "Yeah, we are." Her green eyes turned back to her three fellow X-men. "Feel free t' watch us as Kitty's doin...Remy an' Sam are good helpahs,"

"Like, honestly Scott, you should take pointers from Rogue on, like getting people to listen to you," Kitty said, her tone teasing. "All she has to do is say the word and, like, Remy and Sam jump."

Rogue rolled her eyes, but smiled as Scott raised an eyebrow at her. "Ah told em if they were gonna help, they had t' do it mah way."

Kurt laughed, filling a glass each with Milk for him and Evan, then proceeded to add some Nesquik to his. "Ah, meine schwester, you are too much."

Evan took his class of milk and went to the table, taking a seat. "Man, you guys are cooking enough for an army!"

Rogue raised an eyebrow. "Ya forgettin' Ah gotta make enough not just for us, but for th' Brotherhood and St. John too, Ev. And Fred could eat as much as all o' us combined if he really wanted," Rogue reminded, scooping some cabbage into a massive bowl.

"Oh, yeah," Evan said, sipping his milk. He got a contemplative look on his face, which thankfully was free of the bone growths for now. After some help from the Professor and Dr. McCoy, he had regained partial control of the growths that plated his body, allowing him to have a normal looking torso and face most of the time. "Its so weird them being here," he added, scooting his chair over so Kurt could sit down. "I mean, other than a few small fights, we actually get along."

Remy smirked, thinking of what would happen back in Louisiana should someone even suggest the Rippers (Assassins) and Thieves guilds try living together to bring peace. Rogue seemed to realize what he was thinking, if the way she quirked an eyebrow and grinned at him was any indication, and found it just as humorous.

"Something you two would like to share?" Scott asked, feeling more relaxed about the two and their interactions, especially after his morning with Rogue.

Rogue gave a brief laugh, shaking her head. "Na. Just an inside joke," she said, glancing up as Sam finished grating some carrot for the coleslaw. "Take a break, Sam," she told the younger boy, earning a grateful smile.

"Ah forgot how much work there is t' cookin' lahke mah momma does back home," Sam admitted, pulling out a pitcher of Sweet Iced Tea that Rogue had made earlier and pouring a glass. After a long gulp, he shot her a look that could almost be confused with love. "Gawd, Miss Rogue, Ah swear this tea is bettah than mah momma made," he said, leaning against a counter as he took another sip.

Rogue smiled, clearly humbled by the compliment, as she knew how much Sam thought of his Mom. "Glad ya lahke it," she said, looking up to find more people entering the kitchen, apparently drawn by the sound of laughter and conversation. "Hey ya'll," she greeted, returning her hands to work chopping the cabbage in front of her.

Ororo smiled broadly at the sight of all the work that Rogue had already put into prepping for the dinner in a few hours. "My, you are going all out, aren't you?" she asked, walking around to place a hand on Rogue's shoulder.

Glancing at the weather witch, Rogue nodded, smiling, then turning her head as the Professor entered the kitchen as well. "Well, guess they do say everyone gathahs in a kitchen," she said, earning a quite a few laughs, given the kitchen was quite full by now. Sam walked over to the radio as she spoke, and was about to turn it off, just as a song Rogue liked came on. "Hang on Sam, turn that up, would ya?" she asked, and Sam did so, allowing the sounds of "Turn it Loose" by the Judds to fill the room, silencing pretty much everyone. Like Kitty, they hadn't realized Rogue listened to country at all.

"Ya sing along wit' it, Chere?" Remy questioned, remembering Rogue telling him she had a deep love of music, and sometimes sang along with the radio when she was alone.

His question had all eyes turning back to Rogue, even as she gave a mock glare at Remy. "What if Ah don't wanna?"

"Please, ma Chere?" he asked, adding a bit of a "puppy look."

"No," she said, "Not raght now, Remy," she added with a pointed look.

Seeming to get whatever she wasn't saying, Remy nodded slowly. "If dat's how ya feel, Chere."

Giving a single nod, Rogue returned to her chopping, leaving a few in the room to exchange looks. Well, there went Rogue's good mood, apparently.

**Dining Room, 6pm -**

The dining table was positively groaning under the weight of all the food the three Southerners had fixed, and Xavier was thankful the table was of solid construction, or it likely would've collapsed by now. Platters were piled high with fried chicken, biscuits, and corn bread, while bowls nearly overflowed with green beans, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, and fried okra. All along the table, there were gravy boats full of white or brown gravy (the latter of which Rogue had only made because she knew some preferred it), and Rogue had told them there was a surprise still waiting in the kitchen. After a brief silence so those who held religious beliefs could pray, Xavier was the first to reach for the food, a silent signal to everyone else to begin serving themselves.

"Everything smells great, Stripes," Logan said from his place just to the Professor's right, shooting the girl a smile.

"It does," Hank agreed, pulling a bowl of the okra to him. "I can't imagine how you three managed to make all of this," he added.

"Nevah could'a done it without Remy and Sam's help," Rogue said, casting a smile in the boys' direction.

"Glad t' help, Chere," Remy assured her, scooping a generous helping of the coleslaw onto his plate.

"Any time, Miss Rogue," Sam agreed, a broad smile on his face. "Was nahce t' be in th' kitchen. Made meh feel kinda lahke Ah was back home..."

"Oui," Remy agreed, seeing Rogue taking a drink of the Sweet Tea she had made a huge amount of to go with dinner. "Made dis Cajun 'member bein' in de kitchen wit' my Tante as a pup," he said, a look on his face that only Rogue could decipher.

Rogue gave a small smile. "Made meh think' of cookin' for Irene," Rogue said softly, earning her a look from Mystique.

"She called me this afternoon," Mystique said, her tone neutral, as she knew that where she was concerned, sometimes all it took was the wrong tone to set Rogue off. "She wanted me to wish you well on your trip."

Rogue's gray-green eyes cut to her adopted mother. "Ah wish Ah could see her again," she admitted.

"Perhaps I can arrange something," the shape-shifter said after a moment. "She never said so, but I got the feeling she was coming here." Mystique gave a wry smile. "She likely foresaw you wanting to see her."

Still not used to the idea that her former guardian was able to see the future, Rogue gave a shrug. "Maybeh."

"We still on for tomorrow, Stripes?" Logan asked, purposely interrupting the conversation with Mystique.

"Yeah," she answered, turning her attention to him. "What time did ya wanna leave?"

"Show opens at 9. So 'round 8:30 should be fine."

Rogue nodded silently, turning her attention to her food, as those around her did the same. And for a good while after, the only sounds were those of people enjoying the meal the three Southerners had made. Well, until Rogue and Remy brought in the huge trays of a peach cobbler, and mixed berry cobbler. Then all some could bring themselves to do was groan.

**9PM, Mansion Gardens -**

"God that dinner was amazing," Scott said, reaching for Rogue's hand now that they were out of immediate sight of the mansion.

"Ah'm glad ya lahked it, sugah," she said, allowing him to lace their fingers as he had done that morning. "Ya think it loosened that tongue o' yours?" she only half teased, desperate to know the reason behind his sudden change in behavior.

"I hope so," he said honestly, stopping when they reached an area with high hedges, and a pair of benches. It was a popular area for some of the kids to come for privacy. As a matter of fact, he had spent a few times here with Jean to avoid the prying eyes of the younger students. Gently he guided her to one of the benches, and they both sat, turned slightly to face each other.

Rogue watched him silently, enjoying the light breeze of the evening, and the many smells of the garden while she waited for him to find the words he wanted. She could feel his hand grip hers a big tighter for a moment, then relax.

While she watched him, Scott watched her, hoping that his stupid tongue would allow him to finally say what he knew he needed to. She was so beautiful, and had been so understanding of him, never expecting or asking more than he could give. Why was he finding it so hard to give her the one thing she needed? He knew how he felt. But then it hit him. He was scared of making another mistake like he had with Jean. As he watched Rogue though, let his feelings for her fill him, he felt some of that fear fall away. This wasn't the same, he reminded himself. He had been after Jean for over 5 years, having a crush on her from the time he hit 13 years old and realized that she was pretty. And despite what everyone thought, while he and Jean had grown up together under Xavier's tutelage, they still didn't know each other nearly as well as it was assumed they did.

Oh, they could read each others expressions and little things like that, but despite Jean's telepathy, she still had no clue of what had happened to him between the time he had been in the plane crash with his parents, and the time he came to live at the mansion. He still didn't know what had triggered her powers into being at the rather young age of 10, or what had driven her to date Duncan Matthews. It might seem like little things, but he had never thought about talking about them with Jean. To him, that said something.

Suddenly, he felt Rogue's hand slip from his grasp, and shook himself from his musings. "Rogue?"

"It seems lahke ya still ain't gonna talk t' meh, Scott...and if that's th' case..."

"I'm sorry," he began, reaching out and taking her hand again. "I just got lost in thought for a minute." At Rogue's curious look, he continued. "Was thinking about how little Jean and I really bothered to talk about things," he admitted, and for the first time, didn't miss the hurt look that passed through Rogue's eyes at his mention of Jean. "I don't want to hurt you," he said, wishing he had thought to put on some gloves so he could touch her. "Its just...I still can't believe I made myself think I loved her."

Rogue forced herself to nod, even as some of her hope fell away that perhaps he cared for her. Unfortunately for her, everything Scott had missed before when he spoke to her, he was seeing now. And he could see that he was only making things worse, bringing up Jean.

He reached up, and put some of her hair between his hand and her face, allowing him to gently cup it. "Hey..." he said softly, waiting for her eyes to meet his again. "If I'm going to say this, I need to make you understand," his tone grew even more gentle, and he finally got a real nod of understanding from her.

"Ok," she breathed, not wanting to move too much, for fear of making his hand slip and touch her. She wanted words, not thoughts...not this time.

"You know me, you know my mind," he began. "I don't know if you knew that I was only fooling myself with her..." he avoided Jean's name, and found it seemed to help, not hearing the name of his ex. "But...I do know that there seems to be something about me you don't know...maybe its your ethics, maybe you didn't allow yourself to snoop through how I feel about everyone, including you." He paused here, and watched her eyes widen a bit, her lips part, and found himself wishing he could kiss her. That would be the easiest way to show her, tell her, but he couldn't do that to her. "If you had looked...this would be easier," he admitted, and heard her breath hitch.

"Scott," she started to say, reaching her free hand up to place it over his on her face. "Ya know Ah'd nevah.."

"I know. Its one of my favorite things about you. You have all of these secrets in your head, but it never occurred to you to actively look."

"They aren't..."

Scott cut her off, a small smile on his lips. "I said I know."

Sighing, Rogue leaned her head into his hand, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, she found Scott had moved closer to her on the bench. She opened her mouth to warn him to be careful, but stopped. Scott had never been anything less than careful around her, yet he had never made her feel as though her powers were all that mattered either.

Before he could stop himself, Scott found the word "Beautiful," slipping from his lips, barely audible. Not that the volume mattered, at this range, Rogue could very nearly hear his heartbeat.

Rogue felt a shiver go down her spine at the way he said it, and if she could have, would have kissed him for it. The reverence in his tone was not something he could, or would fake.

Noticing the shiver, Scott let go of her hand and let the hand that had been holding hers move to her waist, causing another small shiver to go down her spine. "Hey, hey," he soothed. "Its me," he murmured, and noticed her small scoff. "What's that for?" he asked, leaning his head down to catch her eyes again.

"Ya still don't get it, do you?" she replied, studying him. _How c'n he still not realize? _She wondered.

"Don't get what?"

Sighing, Rogue pulled out of his grasp and stood, hugging herself "Ah nevah took ya for bein' so blind, Scott," she said after a moment, turning her back on him.

_Was Jean right? Has she honestly had feelings for me all along?_ Scott asked himself, but decided he would come clean about his feelings first, then let her tell him if she returned those feelings. With a hand on her waist again, he gave a soft push, coaxing her to turn to face him again. "Rogue, I..." her eyes raised to his, and he found the wrong words leaving his mouth yet again. "I like you." Stopping, he squeezed his eyes shut behind the shades.

"What?" Rogue said, disbelief clear in her voice, tainted with a bit of anger.

"Sorry, that came out wrong," he said, frowning. "Damn it, why is it that when I really want to say something to you, something that matters, I can't?" he asked, as if expecting her to have the answer.

Knowing he wouldn't curse unless he was honestly upset, Rogue's face cleared, and the caring expression was back. She reached up with a gloved hand, studying his face for a moment. "Ah dunno, sugah," she said, wondering if she should take a chance and finally reveal to him how she felt. "Ah kinda get the same way," she admitted, and watched a confused expression settle into his features.

"What do you mean?" he asked, pulling her closer to him, then realization came over his face. "Wait...the other night...when you said there always had been someone else...were you..." The question trailed off, he couldn't finish it for fear of being wrong.

Rogue took a deep breath, then nodded, that the only way she could seem to answer him.

Scott's entire expression brightened, and he picked her up, spinning her around, causing her to gasp. She probably would have screamed in surprise if not for the fact it would bring Logan running. When he put her down, Rogue looked at him as if he had lost his mind and hit him on the arm.

"Ya fool, what th' hell was that?"

"I'm sorry, I just..." The smile forming on his face was the biggest she had ever seen from him. "I'm very happy, that's all."

"Ah got that much," she said.

"Rogue, I..."

"Rogue?" a voice called, causing Scott to groan. Could he never catch a break?

"What th' hell is Lance doin' lookin' for meh?" Rogue asked, then sighed. "Sugah, Ah guess we'll have t' continue this latah..."

"Guess so," Scott said, even as Lance called for her again.

"Ovah heah, Lance," she called out, even as Lance rounded the corner into the area where they were. The former Brotherhood leader eyed the two of them for a moment, before settling his expression on Rogue.

"Kitty was looking for you, said it was important," he said.

"Oh..." Rogue glanced at Scott, then sighed. "Tell her Ah'll meet her in th' den in a few, ok?"

"K," Lance said, and after another quick look between Scott and Rogue, turned and walked off the way he had come.

Once she was fairly sure Lance would be far enough away, Rogue turned back to Scott. "Ah guess Ah'll see ya t'morrow at dinnah," she murmured.

Scott nodded. "We have a lot to talk about," he said.

"We do..." Rogue agreed, then, on a whim, placed her hand over Scott's mouth, and leaned up, pressing her lips to the back of her gloved hand. Though he was surprised, Scott placed a brief kiss to her palm, and smiled at her when she pulled her glove away. "Latah, sugah..." she said, returning the smile.

"Later."

It was a pretty good night after all, Scott decided, and whistled all the way up to his (and Remy's) Room.

**1PM – Next day, 3 Days until Rogue's departure – Mansion Gardens -**

"So, ya ready fo' a surprise, Chere?" Remy asked, having blindfolded Rogue while they were in the kitchen.

"Ready as Ah'll evah be," she said, trying to use her other senses to figure out where she was. Her feet were bare, allowing her to feel the grass under her feet, so she was definitely outside, and with the smell of Ororo's prized roses, she could figure out that they were in one of two places in the gardens. All of a sudden, she found herself blinded by the sunlight, and squinted her eyes to try and see in the glare.

"Desole," Remy apologized, then handed her the sunglasses he had bought her, allowing her to put them on.

"Merci," Rogue said, even as her vision cleared, and she saw they were in an open area of the gardens, bordered by Ororo's beautiful roses in varying shades. Laid out on the grass was a huge picnic blanket, with a basket sitting on an edge, and a small cooler nearby. Turning to Remy, she gave a broad smile and hugged him. "Oh Rem," she sighed, pulling away. "This is wondahful."

Gently coaxing her to sit down on the blanket, Remy sat down near her, but not so close that her bared feet (he had insisted on it) might brush him. He planned on being conscious for all of this afternoon, thank you. "Glad ya like it," he said, pulling out a bottle of sparkling grape juice and two fluted glasses from the cooler. Pouring them both a glass, he smiled at her. "T'ought ya'd probably rat'er not be out o' de mansion more dan ya gotta for de next couple days."

Taking the offered glass, Rogue nodded. "Ya raght," she murmured, a sad expression on her face. "Ah can't believe its only a few more days..."

Remy sighed. "S' gonna be weird, bein' here fo' even a couple days wit'out you," he admitted.

Shaking herself, Rogue smiled at him. "Ya'll be ok, Remy," she said, then glanced at the basket full of food as her stomach gave an audible rumble. "Now...ya best feed meh, sugah, cause Ah didn't get much breakfast this mornin," she teased.

Remy smirked at her. "As ya wish, ma Chere." He reached over into the cooler, pulling out a container of strawberries, Rogue's favorite fruit. Handing them to her to open, he then retrieved two small covered plates, one of lunch meat, the other of cheese. Once those were sat upon the blanket, he lifted a wooden cutting board and bread knife from the basket, followed by a loaf of fresh bread he had bought that morning at a local bakery.

"All mah favorites?" Rogue asked, surprised he knew/remembered.

"O'course," he said, smiling at her. He brought her gloved hand to his lips for a kiss, then released it and held his flute of sparking juice out.

Knowing what he wanted, she lifted hers, curious. "So what are we toastin'?" she asked.

"You," he replied, his expression turning to one of affection. "You getting' control, an' mebbe bein' de femme I know ya wanna be," he said bluntly, his expression taking any possible bite out of it.

"Sounds alraght by meh," she said, smiling, as she tapped her glass to his, then took a brief sip of the juice.

After taking a sip himself, he set the glass aside and cut into the bread, making four perfectly even slices. He handed two to her, then reached back into the cooler, pulling out a jar of special mustard he had gotten her hooked on since his arrival at the mansion. As they both began to make themselves a sandwich, he watched her out of the corner of his eye, and could tell something was on her mind. "Ya ok dere, ma Cherie?" he asked, causing her to look up, startled.

"What makes ya think somethin's wrong?"

"Chere..." he said, his tone saying what he didn't.

Sighing, Rogue nibbled at her sandwich, trying to decide where to start. After washing it down with some of the juice, she met Remy's eyes again. "Its Scott," she began, and noticed how Remy stiffened.

"De homme do somet'ing?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

"No! No." She protested. "Well...nothin' lahke what you're thinkin," she said, causing his eyes to narrow as he tried to figure out where this was heading. "Its just...he's been given off this weird vibe since b'fore ya got heah...its almost lahke..." She paused, biting her lip. "Its lahke he...maybe...lahkes meh...if ya know what Ah'm sayin..."

Remy could have laughed, if not for the fact he was having to keep a straight face. "Ya asked him 'bout it?"

"Kinda. He an' Ah were talkin yesterday, at th' store an' aftah dinnah...He just couldn't seem t' put two words t'gethah th' way he wanted. Was kinda sweet, if not for th' fact it was drivin' meh crazy."

"So why not tell him how ya feel, den see how he reacts?"

"Ah did," she said, smiling a bit at Remy's surprised expression. "Sorta, anyhow. He was upset about not bein' able t' tell meh whatevah it is he wants t', an' Ah said Ah had th' same problem around him..." At Remy's confused expression, she went on to tell him about all of her encounters with Scott since the day she had announced her eminent departure, causing the Cajun's expression to clear, and a small smirk to curve his lips. When she finished telling him of the night before, he positively was grinning.

While Remy was a bit upset that it was looking as though he might not get a chance with Rogue, he still found the whole situation amusing. "Chere...de man's got serious feelin's fo' ya," he said, causing her to stare at him. "Been sensin' it any time I been 'round de two o' ya..."

Reminded that Remy was an empath, and would know this, Rogue froze. Scott had feelings for her? And they were more than friendly, from the way Remy was talking. Was that what he had wanted to say to her last night? Thinking back on the way Scott had reacted when she all but said she had feelings for him too, she realized she must've been blinded by her want to hear him say the words. He had clearly been excited at the prospect of her liking/loving him. How else could you explain the joyful way he had spun her around?

"It sinkin' in Chere?" Remy asked, and she gave a dazed nod.

"He...likes meh?" she asked, wanting one last bit of verbal confirmation.

"Oui...very much." He gave a small smile. "Pro'ly why de homme got s' tongue tied."

Rogue suddenly felt better than she had all week, and smiled broadly at Remy. Giving his hand a squeeze, she said "Thank ya, sugah. Ah know that probably wasn't easy for ya t' tell meh...knowin' what ya do, an' feelin how ya do.."

"Non," he admitted, but smiled broader at her anyway. "But if it makes ya happy," he said, leaving it at that.

The two Southerners switched topics after that, and enjoyed the picnic Remy had done for them over the course of the next hour. Once the picnic was packed back into the cooler and basket, Rogue laid out on the blanket and closed her eyes, basking in the sunshine while Remy stretched out next to her, his eyes never leaving her. Reaching out, Rogue grabbed his hand, and turned her head to look at him, sliding the sunglasses up so green eyes met red-on-black.

"Ah'm gonna miss you, Remy..." She whispered, mostly to hide the emotion she knew he could sense anyway.

"Et je vous, mon amour. Dieu, comme je voudrais que les choses étaient différentes. Peut-être dans un autre temps, un autre lieu ..." (And I you, my love. God, how I wish things were different. Maybe in another time, another place...)

Smiling at his switch to French, as he always did when he was at his most honest with her, she responded in kind. "Mais qui peut dire si les choses seraient différentes? Peut-être aurions nous soyons ensemble, mais malheureux." (But who can say if things would be different? Perhaps we'd be together, but unhappy.)

Remy laughed, a real laugh. "Mebbe so." A bizarre idea occurred to him, and he laughed again as he told her of it. "Mebbe in anot'er universe, we had an on/off relationship, got killed, came back to life, then I tried to kill you..." **(1)**

Rogue looked at him as if he had lost his mind. "Where th' hell did that come from?"

Still laughing, Remy shook his head. "Dunno, but it'd make a good soap opera or comic story line," he said, smiling.

Rogue started laughing as she pictured it. "An' maybe in this othah universe, Ah left ya some place...Antarctica, maybe, cause ya did somethin' ages ago and Ah felt ya needed t' pay for it..."

With a mock shiver, Remy shook his head. "Dat jus' wrong, Chere!" He smirked. "Ya know, if any o' dis be true in anot'er universe, I t'ink I'll take dis one!"

Nodding, Rogue smiled at him. "Meh too, sugah."

Wanting to make the most of what time he had alone with her, Remy pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. As she normally did with such contact, she stiffened for a moment, then relaxed into him, resting her head against his chest. The two laid there for a while, and just as he was starting to wonder if she had fallen asleep, he felt her shift and look up at him.

"Peu importe, vous aurez toujours une place dans mon cœur. Je veux que vous le sachiez," she whispered. (No matter what, you'll always have a place in my heart. I want you to know that.)

"Et vous dans la mienne, mon amour, et vous dans la mienne." (And you in mine, my love, and you in mine.)

**10 PM – same day, Rogue and Wanda's Room -**

Wanda watched from across the room as Rogue packed away more of her books into a box. It was strange. She had only been sharing a room with the girl for a little over a month, and yet they had bonded so much, it was rather like loosing a sibling, a pain Wanda knew all too well. She and Rogue had stayed up every night this week, talking well past midnight most nights, trying to fit as much into the week as they could, as if knowing how drastically things would change soon. There would be phone calls, emails, and maybe visits, should Rogue's time on Muir Island be extended, but both girls knew the comfort they got from having someone around who could understand them would be gone.

Sensing her roommates sadness, Rogue looked up, and was surprised to find tears streaming down Wanda's face. Neither of them was really much of a crier, so for her friend to be doing so spoke volumes. Snatching a box of tissues from her bedside table, Rogue made her way to Wanda's bed, and sat down on the edge, holding the box out.

Taking a few of the tissues, Wanda shook her head in a mixture of disbelief and amusement with herself. "What is it with you making me cry?" she asked, referring to when Rogue had told her of the pain Magneto had suffered growing up, a story that still haunted his daughter.

"Ah dunno," Rogue replied, a watery smile on her face. "Maybe its good Ah'm goin...One of us needs t' keep their reputation as a bad-ass."

Wanda laughed as she wiped a few more tears away. "Mm, and its not going to be you?"

Rogue sighed. "Ah think this week has shown everyone Ah ain't as much of a bad-ass as Ah'd lahke 'em t' believe. Ah've shed tears...in public areas o' th' house, no less, hugged mah brothah more than normal, an' just been a lot more emotional..."

"Yeah, but you have an excuse...you're leaving your family to move part-way around the world," Wanda reminded her. "What's my excuse?"

Smiling softly, Rogue shrugged. "Ya loosin a roommate?"

"No..." Wanda said, though she knew Rogue had only said that to try and keep things from getting too serious. To hell with that. "I think maybe its that I'm loosing the closest thing to a sister I've ever had..."

"Aw gawd," Rogue groaned, even as Wanda leaned forward to hug her...a very rare gesture on her part, and that was all it took for Rogue to start crying too. "Damn it, now ya got meh goin," she murmured, returning the hug.

"Only fair," Wanda replied, not letting go just yet. "_You're _the one that got _me _started after all."

Rogue nodded against Wanda's shoulder, then chuckled. "We're a pair, ain't we?"

Smiling, Wanda pulled back and raised an eyebrow at her roommate. "You're just figuring that out?"

"Na, just pointing out th' obvious."

"Lovely," Wanda said, allowing her usual persona to slip through. "Is that going to be a new habit of yours?"

Seeing the hint of a smile she knew Wanda was trying to hide, Rogue shrugged. "Maybeh, it annoy you?"

"Yes."

"Good."

The two girls sat there staring at each other for a few moments, waiting to see who would crack first, when they both burst into laughter. Had anyone entered the room, they'd probably think the two had gone crazy with the way they were laughing and leaning on each other for support. Wanda snorted suddenly mid laugh, causing Rogue to fall off the bed, without stopping laughing, tears running down her face again. The sight of Rogue falling off sent Wanda rolling on her bed, holding her sides from laughing so hard. It was probably the best laugh either of them had in far too long, but it was also the only way they could keep from continuing to cry.

It wasn't until Logan knocked on the door 15 minutes later calling for them to keep it down that either girl managed to get themselves under control, and even then they kept snickering for a good few minutes after while they got ready for bed. Once they had both crawled into their beds, and the lights were out, they began talking softly, as they had every night that week. And in keeping with the rest of the week, the murmured conversation only quit sometime after midnight when both fell asleep.

**A/N : **Ok, that seems like a good place to stop. I know I didn't cover Rogue's time out with Logan, but this was already 8 pages by the time I got to that day, and when I tried writing it, I made it way too sappy for it to be a real Logan moment. Well, we nearly had Scott confess how he felt, but instead Rogue confirmed to him that she had feelings for him. Guess we'll see where my fingers take us from here!

**1 – **If you honestly don't know where I got this from, you're not a reader of the comics. This is a very simplified rundown of the ROMY in comics as I know of it. Seemed funny to me to through that in, since I seem to enjoy having angst with those two. Oh well...deal with it. LOL.

**Review Replies for reviewers:**

**Swamprat91**- Here's the chapter, and I'm glad you've enjoyed the story thus far. I'm trying to keep on a 1-2 updates a week schedule, as my RL allows. And I don't see Jean as a raging bitch. I don't like her much, but if there is one thing she is, its not a raging bitch. As for the Remy question, he actually left New Orleans post "Cajun Spice" ep (for my story purposes anyhow) in order to avoid having to marry Bella and give his family time to get him out of the marriage. He was already in NY doing a "job" for the guild when the Prof called. I'm also glad I made a Scott you can enjoy reading about. He's one of my favorite characters, if you couldn't tell.

**ColossusR –** I'll be honest, I quit reading the comics before the whole Scott/Emma thing happened, its odd I took a same route. And no worries, Rogue won't have to die...I could never kill her off...or I don't think I could. Its not in the plans, we'll leave it at that, lol. I do know what you mean about comic Scott though. Which is why I prefer Evo Scott...he's so much more fun to play with because he's not chased Jean for 10 years or whatever it was in the comics, and all that crap we went through in the comics.

**Anoymous136 – **Glad you're still enjoying this! And limbo is so much fun, don't you agree? :)

**Guest – **You didn't have to pinch yourself! I could've told you it was real! Your review made me smile for like 10 minutes btw. Knowing I made someone's day with this fic, well, it makes me want to work even harder to keep up the standards I and you all have for me. I'm glad you enjoyed the way I handled Scott & Jean's breakup. It just seemed the only way to go. Jean might have issues later on, but she's too much of a mature woman (even if she is only 18/19 in this story) to go all crazy because of a man. Hopefully this chapter meets your expectations, and please feel free to ask any more questions you come up with! They might spark ideas for chapter content!


	11. Act I, Ch 10-Get it Right

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Chapter 10, "Get it Right"**_

**Author Notes: ****Ok, so this chappy is JUST Rogue and Scott's day together. Not what I intended to happen, but I hope you'll agree that it works better this way. Next chapter will detail the day of the going-away party, and perhaps the party itself, but expect it to be another long one. Every chapter keeps getting longer than the last, and with all the Scogue goodness here, this one is no exception. Thank you to DrPraetorious for reminding me of Piotr's nickname for Kitty! The clothes Wanda gives Rogue are based on something I've had in my head for AGES as a way for a work-around for her powers, and for all I know, might be real.**

**Also, excuse Scott if he's a bit OOC compared to sometimes. He IS a 19 year old guy, who is still a virgin and confronted by a sexy Rogue. Cut him some slack! **

**I'm thinking of starting a page somewhere for this fiction, where I can post images, alternate chapters, etc. I used to use Yahoo, but I don't think many people use that any more. If any of my wonderful readers have a suggestion, I'd appreciate it. I thought about Facebook, but I'd like some feedback first. Even if you review anonymously, your thoughts are always considered and appreciated. I am nothing without you readers, after all.**

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred, Mystique), and my own unique Excalibur team...you'll find out who they are soon.

**2 Days Until Rogue's departure -**

**Girls' dorms, Rogue and Wanda's room, 8:15 AM -**

"So what is it you two are doing again?" Wanda asked as she brushed out her hair, looking over at her roommate.

"Scott's takin' meh out t' breakfast, then we'll probably hang out for a bit b'fore goin' and playin' Racquetball at the new court in the gym," Rogue replied as she zipped up a sports bag that contained her work out clothes and a spare change of clothes just in case. She glanced at the clock, then winced. "Damn it, Ah guess Ah'm goin' without make-up," she muttered, then glanced at her closet, wondering what to wear.

Seeing Rogue trying to decide what to wear, Wanda walked over to her closet and pulled out a big clothing box from its hiding spot. Setting it on Rogue's bed, she just smirked at Rogue's confused expression. "A gift from my father and me." Wanda paused, then shrugged. "Well, I used his money to buy it, so I'm saying its from him too," she added, laughing softly.

Curious, Rogue broke the tape on the sides and lifted the box, only to be greeted with what looked like pantyhose...lots of them. Lifting the top piece out, she realized it was a top...a skin-tight pale nude top made of the same sheer fabric that was used for hose. "What?" was the only word she could get to come out.

"I figure you deserve the right to dress more like a 'normal' teenager," she snorted, "Whatever a normal teenager is."

Rogue didn't know if she should laugh at the comment, or cry for the thoughtfulness of the gift, so ended up doing both at the same time, amusing Wanda further.

"I thought you might want to wear them today and tomorrow...give everyone a chance to get used to the idea of you with touchable skin, since next time we see you, you will be."

"Its great," Rogue said at last, drying her eyes and smiling at Wanda. "Guess Ah c'n pack a different workout outfit then..." she mused, smirking.

"You just want to give the fearless leader a heart attack...or should I say, make him attack you and not in a bad way?" Wanda teased, getting a blush out of Rogue.

The clock caught Rogue's eye, and she gasped, grabbing up the shirt and the matching hose underneath. "Gawd, Ah gotta get ready!" she said, then glanced at Wanda. "Thank you...you think you can change out th' clothes in th' bag for meh while Ah get ready?"

"Go get dressed," Wanda assured her, unzipping the sports bag and pulling out the workout pants and long sleeved top.

Dashing into the bathroom, Rogue pulled on the hose over her underwear, then put her bra back on over the top. Leaving the bathroom with a robe on, she went back to her closet and pulled out a pair of denim cut-offs she hadn't worn since before her powers, pulling them on, surprised when they only hit mid-thigh, much shorter than they had been. _Raght, mah growth spurt...Ah'd curse Apocalypse for it, but Ah kinda lahke the end results, _she mused, glancing at her figure in the mirror as she pulled on a plain jade green tank top that hugged to her lean waist and fuller bust line. It was amazing the difference when she wasn't dressed in layers. A wolf whistle had her glancing at Wanda with a mock glare. "Oh shuddup, you."

"Damn, you _are _trying to give Scott a heart attack...but I think you'll give everyone else one too!"

"This stuff is pretty comfy," Rogue said, ignoring the comment as she tugged gently at the fabric that kept her arms from being bare, but made them look as though they were; it matched her skin tone nearly dead on.

"There's gloves in there too..." Wanda said, watching Rogue for her reaction.

"Really?" Rogue breathed, walking back over to the box. A moment of digging (there were two more each of the tops and bottoms) had her coming up with the pair of gloves. She stood there for a moment, amazed that someone would think to make things like this, and wondered who else in the world might use them.

"Its all made of some sort of experimental fabric, by the way," Wanda added, getting her roommates attention. "Supposedly its very tear resistant, so you shouldn't have to worry about the gloves getting caught on something."

Tugging the gloves on, Rogue stared at her hands, her very nearly bare hands. What would everything feel like with these? Oh how she planned to make use of this before she left. Glancing at Wanda just as a knock came at the bedroom door, Rogue smiled. "Ya get meh all re-packed?" she asked, moving to the door to answer it.

"Of course," Wanda said, even as she walked to a position where she'd be able to see Scott's expression as he saw Rogue for the first time.

As the door opened, Scott turned his head back to it, only to nearly fall over in surprise. He had thought he would never see Rogue look as sexy as she had the night she and the girls had been shopping, but oh how wrong he was. But she was baring an awful lot of skin, he realized, and wondered what was going on. "Um...hi..." he finally choked out, trying not to stare at how much of those long legs was bared.

"Hey," Rogue said, opening the door wide, then turning to go grab her shoes. "Ya tell Ororo and th' Professah we'd be goin' out for breakfast?" she asked, pulling a new pair of black sandals from her closet and slipping them on.

"Yeah," Scott answered, his eyes focused entirely on Rogue. "Um..."

Frowning, Rogue glanced at him, then noticed the way he was staring at her 'bare' skin. "Oh, raght. Ah swear Ah'm not gonna kill anyone dressed lahke this," she teased. "Wanda gave meh a present this mornin," walking to the box, she lifted out one of the tops for him to see. "Lets me look normal, while still coverin' up," she said, even as he reached out to feel the fabric; it was soft as silk.

"Wow..." he said, taking notice of the fact that it probably came up around her neck as well, and couldn't help all of the thoughts that started to run through his head. Giving himself a mental shake, he glanced at her hands. "And your hands?" he asked.

"Gloves made o' th' same material...tear resistant."

He reached out, taking her free hand in his, and stared. He could feel the warmth of her skin through the breathable fabric, and it was very nearly exactly like he imagined holding her bare hand would be.

"Ahem," Wanda said, earning her the attention of her roommate and Scott. "I'm gonna go down to breakfast. You two have fun," she said, winking at Rogue. "Oh...I packed something extra in your bag."

Too dazed by her nearly bare hand in Scott's, Rogue just nodded. "See ya latah," she murmured, raising her green eyes to meet Scott's shaded gaze. "Guess we'd bettah get goin," she added.

"Yeah. I already took my bag down," Scott said, trying to focus on anything but the fact that he was suddenly alone in a room, with a bed, with a Rogue who was looking very sexy. He forced his feet to move, and after grabbing her bag from the bed, gently pulled her out of the room by her hand. When they neared the top of the stairs, he released her hand, and the two made their way down, thankfully avoiding the rest of the students, thanks to the group breakfast that occurred every morning.

As they made their way through the kitchen and into the garage, Rogue touched his arm, gaining her his attention. "Ya ok, sugah?" she asked, having noticed he didn't seem to want to look at her for too long at a time.

"Yeah," he replied, a small frown on his face. "Why?"

Scoffing, Rogue rolled her eyes. "Ya've barely looked at meh since we left mah room, ya don't normally avoid lookin' at meh unless yo' eithah mad at meh, or upset about somethin' else."

Wincing, Scott waited until he had shut the door between the kitchen and garage behind them to answer. "I'm sorry," he said sincerely, taking her hand in his and pulling her closer. "Its just..." he took a deep breath "Seeing you with so much 'skin' showing...and I mean, you have to know how beautiful you are...its kinda hard not to stare when I look at you."

This was the second time in less than 48 hours that Scott had called her beautiful, and the way he did so both times left her believing he honestly felt she was. A faint blush tinted her skin, and she smiled shyly at him. "Well, Ah know ya think Ah am," she admitted, "Just from how ya say it...but...ya are allowed t' stare sugah..."

Scott smirked. "Good to know," he said, then turned to lead her to his car. He tossed her gym bag into the back seat with his, before opening the passenger door so she could slide in.

"Ya such a gent," Rogue said, smiling and reaching for her seat belt while Scott closed the door behind her.

"I think I'll take that over being called a boy-scout."

Rogue laughed softly. "Ah know...but there are times ya really do act lahke one."

Sighing, Scott slid into the driver's seat and put the key in as he glanced at her. "Thanks," he muttered, unamused.

"Don't look at meh lahke that, sugah," she murmured, reaching over for his head as she had wanted to the night they went to get dinner for everyone. As she laced her fingers with his, she had to wonder how much longer until he finally told her whatever it was he was having such trouble saying. "Ya know Ah undahstand, and Ah'd nevah think less o' ya for how ya are. But th' othahs...all they see is yo' minor OCD and how ya are as a leadah. They don't know th' reasons b'hind it all."

Nodding, Scott shot her a grateful look. "You really are an angel," he murmured back to her, his expression so full of affection that had anyone seen them right then, they'd know exactly how he felt for her. For a moment, he honestly thought the words he had been trying to say to her might just roll off his tongue, but to no avail yet again. Sighing softly, he released her hand and eased the car into gear. "Lets go eat, hmm?" he asked softly.

The drive to the diner Scott had mentioned was quiet, but pleasant, the two sharing the occasional look. Once they pulled in to the parking lot and the car was at a stop, Scott made sure he was out first, and went around to open the car door for Rogue. She graced him with a shy smile, and as he closed the door, laced her fingers with his again. Holding hands may have seemed like such a small gesture to the other students, but to Rogue, it was worthy of awe. They entered the diner, and were seated by a sweet older woman who had smiled at their joined hands as she led them to a booth tucked away in the corner. After telling them their waitress, a 'Ruby,' would be with them soon, the hostess left them with their menus.

The two kept their joined hands on top of the table as they examined the menus one-handed. Finally, Rogue looked up. "Ya know what ya havin?" she asked.

"Yeah, you?"

"Well, ya said they had good waffles heah, so figured Ah'd try 'em," she said, smiling.

"That's what I'm getting too...I'm starving though, so I'm thinking of getting that combo," he replied, setting down his menu to point at a picture of a plate with a waffle on it next to a plate of eggs, bacon and ham.

"Jesus, sugah...ya gonna eat all that, then play Racquetball? Ya tryin' t' make yaself sick?"

Considering what she said, Scott shrugged. "Ok, so maybe not. We'll just have to grab a bite after our game," he said, squeezing her hand.

"That's probably th' bettah idea," she agreed, then glanced up as a waitress went by. "But maybeh we c'n share some bacon," she said, looking back to him. "It smells real good."

Laughing, he brought her hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it, not missing the way her breathing hitched. "If that's what you want to do."

_Lawd, what are ya doin' t' meh, Scott? _Rogue wondered. _Ya just kiss mah hand, and its all Ah c'n do not to blurt out 'I love you.' If only Ah knew for sure ya felt th' same..._ "Scott..." she started to say, only to be interrupted by the appearance of their waitress.

"My name is Ruby, dears" the waitress said. She had been watching these two kids from the corner of her eye as she took care of other tables, and found it sweet the way they acted. "Have you two decided what you're going to have?"

Scott glanced at Rogue, then squeezed her hand, an indication for her to order first. Nodding, she looked up to Ruby. "Ah'm gonna have th' single waffle...with strawberries an' cream," she said, a shy smile on her lips.

"You want something to drink too?"

"Oh, um..." Rogue glanced at the menu, having not even thought about it. "Jus' water."

Smiling, Ruby looked to Scott now.

"I'll have the waffle as well, blueberry, please. With some orange juice, and we'd like to share an order of bacon," he said, sliding Rogue's menu over and handing both to the waitress.

"It'll be out in a few minutes, dears," the waitress assured them, then walked away to another table to check on them.

Now that they were alone again, Scott looked to Rogue. "What were you going to say?" he asked, slowly rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. Even as he waited for her answer, he found his eyes drifting behind his shades, taking in the way her tank top hugged to her body, and tracing the line of the collar as it dipped down, showing a barest hint of cleavage to distract him. _God, her body is amazing, _he mused. _I wish I could tell her how I feel then maybe she'd let me..._

"Scott? Are ya listenin' t' meh?" Rogue asked, breaking into his thoughts.

When he looked up at her, she was smirking at him, making him realize he had been staring at her chest just like he had the night they had pizza together. Well, at least this time he wasn't dating someone else. A blush started heating his cheeks, and he looked down at the table. "I'm so sorry...like I said, I can't seem to help but stare at you..."

Laughing softly, she squeezed his hand. "Scott, would it make ya feel bettah if Ah take it as a compliment?"

Lifting his head to look at her again, he quirked an eyebrow and gave a shy smile. "Maybe."

Smiling, she was about to say something else, when their waitress re-appeared and set their drinks down in front of them. After telling them their food would be right out, Ruby walked off again, leaving Rogue to sigh. Perhaps serious conversation should wait until they were somewhere they could definitely be alone. Their current record for being interrupted didn't bode well if she tried to start a real talk here.

Taking a sip of his orange juice, Scott glanced out of the window they were seated near, noting that it promised to be yet another perfect summer day. "Maybe we can go outside for a while, take a walk after this?" he asked, looking back to Rogue. "Give our food time to settle before we head to the gym, ya know?"

Nodding, Rogue pulled her hand out of his to stretch her fingers for a moment. "Sounds lahke a good idea t' meh," she replied, re-lacing her fingers with his in a position more comfortable for her. "Ya know...Ah really need t' do somethin' fo' Wanda t' thank her for th' clothes she got meh," she murmured, her eyes focused on their joined hands.

Scott nodded, noting where her eyes were focused. "I'll go halves with you on something for her," he said, drawing Rogue's attention. When she tilted her head in curiosity, he shrugged. "I'm getting to enjoy it nearly as much as you," he teased with a smile.

Raising an eyebrow, Rogue decided to do something she had never actively done with Scott...flirt. "Sugah, if ya wanna enjoy it as much as Ah am, we bettah head somewhere a lot more private."

Her words, combined with the playful smirk she gave him had Scott gulping hard as he felt a shot of heat go straight through him. He was sorely tempted to take her up on that offer, even if it might have been made in jest. All of the thoughts from earlier that morning started to play in his head again, and he was hard pressed to stop them. "Rogue," he said, his tone a low, dangerous one she had never heard before, "don't tempt me."

Now it was her turn to gulp. If not for the sudden reappearance of their waitress with their food, she had a fleeting thought that he might have dragged her right out of the diner as she had all but suggested. "Thank you" she murmured to the waitress, averting her eyes from Scott. The intense way he was watching her was making her want to blush all the way down to her toes. God, even Remy couldn't get her feeling like this with just a look, not without using his charm ability.

Once the waitress had left, Scott finally found the strength to turn away from Rogue for moment and regroup. Just as he was about to apologize, Rogue squeezed his hand. "Don't. Its mah fault...Ah shouldn't say stuff lahke that in public."

Scott gave a small smile. "I do agree on that last bit...but it doesn't make it all your fault. I'm just...er...stressed," he said, not wanting to be more blunt. Unlike what he knew some at the mansion thought, he and Jean had not 'done it,' and there was only so much relief to be had alone as a teenage boy.

She seemed to understand what he meant anyhow, and blushed lightly, pulling her hand back. "Why don't we both jus agree t' forget about it?"

"I don't know if I can do that," Scott admitted, but gave her a reassuring look. "Don't worry. I won't do anything, not in public," he said.

Nodding, Rogue finally turned her attention to her plate. "Gawd, ya shoulda warned meh how big these things are," she moaned, noting how the waffle took over the entire plate.

Laughing, Scott shrugged. "Sorry." He started to cut into his, and glanced at her. "But trust me, they're awesome."

Cutting a bite herself, Rogue dipped it into the strawberry sauce and whipped cream, then placed it in her mouth. Immediately, she moaned in delight, earning her a warning look from Scott. Blushing under his scrutiny, she chewed and swallowed the bite. "Ah'm sorry..." she murmured, averting her eyes from the heat she could feel from his gaze.

Reaching out, he wiped at a bit of the strawberry that was at the corner of her mouth, drawing her attention back to him. Once her eyes were on him, he popped his finger into mouth, tasting the sauce. Those green eyes widened, and darkened perceptibly. He grinned at her reaction, and raised an eyebrow, glad he could get the same kind of reaction out of her that she caused in him. "Don't be," he said finally.

Taking a shaky breath, Rogue nodded.

"Lets eat before its cold, yeah?" Scott asked.

After Rogue nodded again, the two focused on their food, and let conversation fall by the wayside. Once they had both eaten their fill and received the receipt, they headed to the counter to pay. Scott laced their fingers again while they waited, earning him a smile from Rogue. With the meal paid for, they exited the diner and made the short walk to his car.

"So...did you want to go somewhere for a bit before we go play Racquetball?" Scott asked.

"Ah dunno," she said. "Why don't we just walk t' the gym from heah? Give us time t' let th' food settle, but keep us from loosin' track o' time talkin' too."

Leaning against the car, he smiled. "True, but I think you just wanna whoop my butt again," he said, a hint of laughter in his tone.

"Of course," she replied, lifting her gym bag from the car and slinging it over her shoulder. "Ya ok, leavin' yo baby heah?" she asked, knowing how he could be about his car.

"Yeah, it'll be ok," he said, lifting his bag out as well, and after making sure nothing valuable was left out, set the car alarm. Walking around the car, he slid his hand into hers as they got onto the sidewalk and began the walk to the gym. "So...what did Kitty want to talk to you about the other night that was so important?"

Laughing softly, she squeezed his hand, knowing he had hated the interruption possibly more than she did. "Apparently she was at a loss as t' what kind o' music t' play at th' party tomorrow night, and wanted mah input."

"Really?" Scott asked, rolling his eyes behind the ruby-quartz shades. "It couldn't have waited?"

"Ah kinda thought the same, but she was honestly freakin' out...she wants t' make it perfect," Rogue said, and it was obvious she was thankful for her friend's thoughtfulness.

"Well, so long as you two sorted it out," he said, pulling her closer to wrap his arm around her waist, earning him a shy look.

"We did," she confirmed. "Gonna have a good mix o' music...some o' mah stuff, some o' Kitty's...then she got a few o' th' othahs t' donate some CD's too."

"Sounds good, " he said as they stopped to wait for traffic at an intersection. "Kitty was trying to find someone to keep you occupied tomorrow while everyone else gets the party set up," he told her, and smiled when she looked up at him, surprised.

"Who volunteered fo' that?"

"Well, Kurt did first, as you can imagine," he said as the traffic changed, and the 'walk' sign appeared across from them. Gently guiding her across the street, he continued. "But Kitty said she'd need him to help with something. He was a bit put out, but decided if he can't be the one to hang out with you, then he'd make sure the party was amazing. In the end, Logan intervened and said he'd find something for you to do while we got the party ready."

"Why did Logan have t' intervene?" Rogue asked.

"Because pretty well everyone was offering...I think they're all scared of Kitty's party plans."

Laughing, she leaned into him while they rounded a corner. "They must'a forgot that Ororo was ovah-seein' it all."

"Mm," he said in agreement, then went quiet. Rogue seemed willing to let the silence stretch all the way until they entered the gym. After getting permission to use one of the courts, Scott and Rogue split up, each going to change.

After exiting the men's changing room, Scott headed to the court they had been given use of, and bent over to pull his racquet out of his gym bag. He heard the door open behind him, then shut. Knowing it was Rogue, he set the racquet on the floor, and pulled out the gloves he always wore when they played. As he adjusted the gloves to fit properly on his hands, he turned to face her, and smiled. "You ready?" he asked, then paused. She was never afraid to bare some skin around him when they played, and normally wore the dark green mid-riff baring tank top she currently had on. But instead of pants, she had on a pair of fairly short black shorts that seemed to emphasize how long her legs were now.

"T' beat yo' ass?" she replied, smiling as she pulled on her own pair of gloves that she reserved strictly for when they played. "Always."

As they both moved into position, Scott glanced over. "Best of 3?"

"Sounds good t' meh."

((**quick a/n: **I know nothing about Racquetball, all info is from Wikipedia and loosely based on the few seconds of the game they played in 'Self Possessed' EP.))

Scott took a breath, then made his serve. Once sure it was a good serve, he glanced at Rogue, watching her as she took a solid swing at the ball. Running to intercept it as it came back from the wall, he managed to back-hand it. Showing her usual enthusiasm, Rogue took a diving swing, and managed to duck into a roll to get back to her feet quickly. The ball got in one bounce, and Scott took a weak, off balance swing only to fall onto his side. He watched the ball fall short of the wall, and bounce a few times before Rogue fetched it. "Ugh, I always end up with bruises worthy of a DR run after games with you," he mused, rubbing his side as she smiled at him.

"Aww, poor baby," she teased. "Ah'd offah t' kiss it an' make it bettah, but...aftah earliah..." she said, trailing off, even though her eyes still sparkled playfully.

Scott smirked at her. "Just serve the ball."

"As ya wish." Making an offensive serve, she moved immediately to take another swing, having taken over the middle court. Lunging, she made contact with the ball again, but couldn't get her balance back in time to get in another swing. Behind her, Scott however was in perfect position, and made a good shot that had her scrambling to her left. Swinging out, she managed to make good enough contact to keep the ball alive. Having not expected her to be able to make the swing, Scott had to take a running leap at the wall in attempt to keep her from scoring. He missed the ball by barely a quarter of an inch, and grumbled under his breath as he landed in a heap yet again. "Ok, after this game, I quit..." he said, pouting as he pulled himself to his feet. "I'll find something else I'm good at."

Laughing, Rogue handed him the ball for his serve. "Th' sooner you quit complainin' th' sooner we'll be done, sugah."

Taking the ball, Scott stuck his tongue out at her, an immature move he would only ever allow himself to do with her. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered, then got into position for his serve.

Their first game lasted another 20 minutes before Rogue finally won, using a move that Scott considered her signature; a 'wall climb' that always left him watching her instead of the ball. Feeling like getting her back for her flirt at the diner, Scott came up behind her as she patted her face dry with a towel, and put his hands on her hips. The way she went still wasn't missed at all, he he grinned as he leaned forward, putting his mouth near her ear. "You know...maybe I will keep playing Racquetball with you..." he murmured, and felt the shiver that went through her.

"Oh?" Rogue questioned, her voice soft.

"Mmhmm..." he said, moving her hair away from her ear so he could see the side of her face. "You have no idea how hot you are when you do those stunts..."

Realizing he was flirting with her, Rogue smiled slowly, and turned around in his grasp. "Well, ya don't look half bad ya'self," she began, trailing a finger down the front of his shirt. As her finger reached the middle of his abs, she smirked. "Even if ya do spend most of th' time fallin' down..."

Laughing, Scott leaned over and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "Thanks."

After a brief break, the two moved back onto the court, with Rogue serving first this time. Scott had removed his t-shirt, and now was playing in a muscle shirt that was skin tight, causing Rogue to loose focus more than once. She had always found him attractive, and her favorite times to watch him were when he was working out, either in the DR or in the gym. This game, Scott took the lead, and managed to keep it for a change. Wondering if perhaps she was already worn out, he took a moment to watch her in between serves. She didn't look tired, he mused. Shrugging it off, he made his serve, and the two began again. Scott scored another two points, putting the score at 13 – 8. It was her serve now, and he watched as she made a lunge for the ball as it came back from the wall. He was so focused on her, and watching her move, he didn't even realize she was heading straight for him. At the last second, his brain clicked back into action, and he was about to move, just as she crashed into him, sending them both sprawling onto the floor.

Breathing heavily, Rogue looked down at him, startled. She had landed in an odd position, with her legs straddling one of his, while her torso was at a bit of an angle over his. _Lawd, when did he get so muscled? _She wondered. Sure, he had always been tall and broad chested, but suddenly, his legs and the rest of him was starting to catch up to that broad chest in terms of muscle, and it was very distracting.

Looking up at her, Scott started to get worried again. First she seems out of during the game, now she seems dazed after falling on him. "Rogue?" he asked, moving his hand to rest on her shoulder.

Shaking her head briefly, Rogue's eyes cleared and she looked at him as if just realizing the position she was in. "Oh!" She placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed herself into a sitting position, still on top of him. "Sorry! Ah guess Ah wasn't payin' attention," she murmured, even as she started to get up.

Stopping her with a gentle grasp on her shoulder, Scott got her to look at him again, and noticed the blush spreading over her cheeks and down her neck. "Are you ok?" he finally asked. "You've been letting me win for a change."

"Um..Ah guess Ah got distracted," she said softly, avoiding meeting his gaze.

Finally, he started to put things together. Her blush, the way she had suddenly gotten distracted after he discarded his t-shirt in favor of the sports top underneath...she was distracted by him! "Enjoying the view are you?" he teased, even as he raised himself to a seated position, putting her effectively in his lap.

Her blush still evident, she gave him a wry smile. "Maybe," she said evasively, even as she finally pushed herself up so she could stand.

Standing himself, Scott smirked at her. "You're allowed to," he said, repeating her earlier words to him.

"Good t' know," she murmured, even as her eyes drifted down over his chest and abs, making him want to blush now. "Cause Ah certainly plan on lookin'."

Once the two resumed their game, Scott won that round, but barely. Something about knowing Rogue was checking him out as he did her kept him from focusing completely. For the third game, their competitive natures took over, and it was no longer two people who were attracted to each other playing, it was two rivals who each wanted to win.

Scott made the first serve, and managed to get a good swing in on the rebound that had Rogue having to take a running jump to hit it. Watching its trajectory, Scott backed up and made a lunge to his left, barely managing to get enough force into his swing to keep the ball alive. The odd hit, mixed with the angle it hit the wall sent Rogue into a dive, only to have the ball sail half an inch over her racquet. Scowling, she took the ball from Scott and made her serve with no warning. Her hard serve made her have to do one of her 'wall climbs,' and for once, Scott was able to hit the ball on its return. Rogue was about to move to make the next hit, when Scott cut her off, making a backhanded swing. Growling, Rogue turned the other way and made another dive, this time catching the ball in a perfect swing. Coming up from the dive, she managed to make a quick leap and send the ball flying back at the wall. Scott's eyes went wide behind the shades, and he tried to get into position to hit it, but found himself face down on the ground again as he dove for the ball.

On and on the game went, neither budging an inch, and the score tied constantly. As it came down to the last point, things became even more intense and physical, with them both doing stunts to hit the ball that stretched their limits. Finally, Rogue was mid leap for a hit, on Scott's serve, when the ball brushed right past her racquet, not even a quarter inch away. Grunting as she hit the ground, Rogue rolled onto her back, panting for breath as Scott collapsed near her.

Groaning, Scott glanced at his towel and decided it was too far away at the moment. "Did I really win?" he asked her, even as he rolled to his side to look at her.

"Yeah," she murmured, trying to sit up. "Ya did."

Pushing himself up onto his knees, Scott offered a hand to her and helped her sit up. "So...I think we both definitely need a shower," he said, earning a tired laugh from her.

"Ya think?" Rogue asked.

Both made their way to their feet slowly, and once their, Scott kept a steadying hand on her waist for a moment. "Can you make it to the dressing room?"

"Ah'll either make it there standin', or Ah'll crawl...eithah way Ah'm getting' in a showah," Rogue told him, even as a tired smile formed on her lips.

"Meet at the front when we're done?"

Nodding, Rogue hoisted her bag to her shoulder. "See ya in a bit."

**1:30 PM – Parking Lot of the Diner -**

"Ok, next time we play Racquetball, we either do it at the mansion, or we drive to the gym," Scott said as he placed both of their gym bags into the back seat of his car. Walking to the driver's side, he slid in, glancing at Rogue as she did up her seat belt. "Agreed?"

"Agreed," she confirmed, leaning her head back against the seat. "Ah feel bettah now that Ah've had a showah, but mah muscles are gonna be screamin' tonight an' tomorrow."

"Yeah," he agreed, then turned to pull his watch from his bag and put it on. "Did you want to go grab something to eat, or...?"

"Mmm, Ah'm not that hungry raght now," she murmured, turning her head to the side and opening her eyes to look at him. "But maybe we could go somewhere...Ah know this place..."

Smiling, he put the keys into the ignition. "Just give me directions."

**15 minutes later – Near the Bay, wooded area -**

"How'd you find this place?" Scott asked as he and Rogue got out of the car. The place she had led him to was off a dirt road, just a mile or two from the main beach that bordered the bay. Had it not been for her directions, he never would've even known the road was there, actually.

"Went for a lot o' walks when Ah was with th' Brothahhood...or took Lance's Jeep," she said, smiling as she watched him go to the rear of the car. Curious as to what he'd need from the trunk, she moved towards him. "Found a couple nahce spots near th' watah, good places t' relax."

Nodding, he pulled a beach blanket out of the trunk and tossed it into the back seat before he used both hands to properly shut it. "Its a great place."

And it was. Nearly circled by beautiful trees, a small creek that fed the Bay was maybe fifty feet away, with the dirt road the only way in or out. Thick green grass was dotted with the occasional wildflower or weed, with a lone boulder near the creek. With the summer sun and only a few clouds over head, it was incredibly picturesque.

Picking up the blanket, as well as his gym bag from the car, Scott moved to a shaded area and spread the blanket out, placing his bag on it in what Rogue considered an odd location. "What's yo' bag for?"

"Pillow," he said, smiling at her.

Returning the smile, Rogue took her bag out of the car, and set it down near his. "So...what now?" she asked. Yes, she had the idea to come here, but now, she was uncertain and shy, wondering if maybe she was trying to force him too much.

"Well, I can't speak for you, but I am gonna lay down and enjoy the fresh air," Scott said, stretching out on the blanket and resting his head on his bag.

A spark of annoyance had Rogue hesitating, but she only took a few moments before she too stretched out next to him. Getting upset that he wasn't telling her wouldn't help anything...well, it might make her feel better for a few minutes before she finally felt guilty. In order to keep from saying something she shouldn't, she kept silent, still feeling that annoyance bubbling just under the surface.

Glancing over, Scott frowned at the expression on Rogue's face. Only a minute ago she had been smiling, her eyes had been that beautiful green, and she had seemed happy to be with him. Now, she had a cross between a pout and a frown on her lips, her eyes were gray, and she was obviously upset. Rolling to his side so he could face her, he ran a hand down her arm, making her shiver despite herself. "Rogue?" he asked, the frown replaced by a concerned expression.

Sighing, she turned her head to look at him. "Yeah?"

"What's wrong?" Though he didn't mean for it to, his tone echoed a bit of his confusion and hurt as she moved her hand away just as he was about to slide it into his.

"Ah..." she paused, not wanting to ruin the day, but she couldn't wait forever either. "Are ya gonna evah find th' words?" she asked, barely above a whisper and tears beginning to make her eyes glisten.

Scott sighed, running a hand over his face. "I don't know," he admitted, then reached out to her again, gently turning her onto her side to face him. "But I want to...I want to tell you..." he grabbed her hand before she could pull it away and brought it to his lips, placing a light kiss to the back of it. "God...I know its hurting you...and that kills me...I hope you know that." His voice was earnest, praying she understood how badly he wanted to tell her., how much he hated hurting her more than he already had.

The tears spilled over, much to her dismay, making her angry with herself as well as him. "Ah know ya'd nevah mean t' hurt meh, but...Scott...Ah don't know how much Ah c'n take. Ah already feel like Ah'm goin' crazy as it is...then this? Its...its almost too much." She wiped at the tears furiously, a green fire lighting the gray of her eyes as her temper flared. "Ya could say it t' _her,_" she spat, sitting up now. "But ya can't say it t' meh," she accused, assuming he had said the words to his ex-girlfriend.

"I never..." Scott felt his own temper ignite at her accusation, fueled by his own self-loathing at the fact he seemed to keep hurting the girls...women he cared for most. He pushed himself to sit up and look at her straight in the eye. "Damn it, I never said it to her!" he growled, noting the disbelief on her face. Holding out a bare hand, he dared her, "Touch me then, see that I never said it to her!"

"NO!" she said emphatically, moving what little skin she had bared (her face) away from him. "Ah'll trust you...because ya've nevah lied t' meh before. But damn it all, why can't ya just say it?"

"Why can't you?"

"What?" she asked, startled. "Ah..."

"No. You didn't say it, you _hinted_," he pointed out. "Its all we both keep doing, dancing around it...hinting at it, but neither of us has said it."

"Because Ah _know _how Ah feel," she ground out, eyes narrowing. "Ah've felt this way for nearly 2 years...it ain't mah fault ya been blind."

"Who says I haven't felt the same way as you for just as long?" he asked, causing her to start and her eyes to widen. "Never crossed your mind, did it?"

"But...no..." she denied, shaking her head. The possibility that she had lost out on being with him for all this time was not one she wanted to consider. "No...ya didn't..." The tears started to come harder and faster as suppressed thoughts and feelings of his came to the surface of her mind, forcing her to see the truth of it. He _had _in fact, had feelings for her for as long as she had for him. "Oh Gawd," she moaned, burying her face in her hands.

Scott leaned forward. "Rogue?" he asked softly, his hand moving to rest on her knee.

Her eyes opened and she moved her hands to look at him. Finally, after a long moment, she slapped him hard across the jaw. "Damn you!" she cried, pushing to her feet and walking quickly towards the edge of the woods.

Startled, Scott lifted a hand to his jaw, but the pain there wasn't nearly the same as the one settling into his chest as he realized she was walking away from him. Scrambling to his feet, he hurried after her. "Rogue!" he called to her. "Damn it, Rogue, don't walk away from me." His jaw gave a nasty throb. Jeez, she had some strength behind that slap.

"Leave meh alone!" she told him, even as something fell to the ground behind her in a pool of color..

Scott didn't even think about it as he picked up whatever it was and fisted it in his left hand even as his right grabbed her arm and spun her to face him. "No," he growled. "You're not walking away...not now." His left hand fingered whatever it was he was holding, and in the back of his mind, an idea sparked. "I may not be able to tell you," he said, his tone softer now, "But please..." He closed the space between them and forced her to back into a thick tree, erasing any chance of escape. "Let me show you."

He lifted the thin silk scarf she had dropped and placed it over her mouth before she could protest, and crashed his lips into hers. She fought him for a good few seconds, pushing at him, and trying to get some leverage to get away, before she finally gave in. A low moan escaped her as he forced her back roughly against the tree, his body coming flush against hers. Her lips began to move against his, returning the kisses he was giving, even as her arms, which had been held against her sides previously snaked up around his neck.

Groaning, Scott felt her fingers tangle in his hair, and her body arch towards his, though there was little room between them already. Moving them away from the tree a bit, he quickly tied the scarf up behind her head so it would stay in place, then let his hands drift down to the upper curve of her hips. Pulling his head back, he moved his lips near her ear. "Please," he whispered, "Please...let me show you Rogue..." His hands ghosted up her sides, then back down in a caress that had her breath catching in her throat. "Dear God," his voice was now a cross between a whisper and a moan, "I want to show you."

Tears began to fall from her eyes again, even as she nodded. Her voice cracked as she responded, "Okay," she whispered, eyes meeting his through the ruby-quartz, "Okay."

His body gave a small shake, and had he been able, he probably would've been shedding a few tears himself. "Okay," he agreed, even as his lips returned to hers, much more gentle his time as he cupped her jaw. His own was still throbbing, but it no longer mattered. The woman he wanted...needed..._loved _was willing to let him tell her the only way he could, since words had failed him, and it had to be perfect. Pulling away from her, he scooped her up in his arms with ease, and quickly carried her back over to the blanket he had laid out earlier. Once she was laid down ever so carefully, he moved over her, placing soft kisses all along her jaw before kissing her mouth again.

She couldn't stop the tears this time, and would've closed her eyes if not for the fact that she didn't want to miss a moment with him. She had been so focused on words, she had forgotten that sometimes, actions can speak twice as loud. She could feel his hands gently sliding up her sides, lifting the soft t-shirt she was wearing so it 'bared' her stomach. His fingers lingered there, tracing the lines of her toned abdomen, the lower curve of her ribcage, and the upper curve of her hips, each touch sending its own spark of heat through her body. When his mouth left her, she gave a little pout that had him smiling briefly before his lips worked down along her jaw again, on their way to her neck, which she exposed to him readily.

The first kiss on her neck made her moan, and he couldn't help but let his hands push her shirt higher, wondering what other sounds she'd make. When his fingers hit the lower curve of her bra, they stilled, then slowly followed the curve, even as his lips continued their exploration of her neck. He wasn't sure which action made her breathing change, but he knew he had begun to have trouble breathing properly the moment she had said "Okay."

"So beautiful," he murmured against her neck, and felt her shiver as his lips briefly worked back up to hers for another kiss. "Beautiful," he said again after kissing her, and watched her eyes go completely green. She gave him a watery smile, even as she lifted her head and pressed her lips to his.

"Ah love you," she whispered after breaking the kiss, and he went still above her.

Something in him changed the moment she said the words, and his body shook with the need to cry. "Say it again," he requested, barely audible.

Her hands slid from his hair to cup his face tenderly. "Ah love you," she said again, a bit louder this time. "Ah've loved ya nearly forevah," she added, her tears having finally stopped.

At a loss for words, he buried his face against her neck, his body shaking. Unable to do anything else, he began to rain kisses over her neck, jaw, anywhere he could reach without moving much or touching the bared skin of her face.

"Oh sugah," she murmured, her fingers gliding back into his hair. "Just show meh," she told him. When his head raised so he could look at her for confirmation, she gave a single nod. "Show meh," she repeated, her voice lower and huskier as the full import of what she was telling him to do sunk in.

Her confirmation was all he needed, and suddenly, her t-shirt was on the ground a few feet away. His lips didn't change their pace, but he slowly worked his way down from her neck to her chest, following the lines of her simple bra, even as his fingers traced the bottom of it. He felt her fingers slowly move from his hair to trail down his back, where she gripped his shirt and began to tug it up. Eager to help her, he lifted up for a moment and allowed her to slip it off before lowering himself back down kiss along the lower lines of the bra now.

Scott was setting her body on fire, she thought, even as her own hands ran over his muscled back and arms at a leisurely pace. His lips had worked lower, exploring the dips and curves of her toned stomach, making her entire body quiver with every touch. She had no idea how he knew just how to touch her, kiss her, but found it didn't matter. Instead she focused on the feelings beginning to spread as he slowly slid his hands along her legs from knee and up her outer thigh. "Ahh...Scott..." she murmured, her hands clawing at him trying to get him to raise up and kiss her again.

Sensing what she wanted, though he'd never be able to explain how, he slid back up her body and kissed her heatedly. From there, things 'deteriorated' into a frenzy of lips, hands and heat. Through it all, Scott was careful to show her everything he couldn't say, his actions speaking just as loud as the words she thought she had to have not so long ago.

When he finally collapsed on top of her, both of them spent, he only moved away long enough to discard the protection he had sense enough to use, before pulling her back to him, desperate to have her close. Never in his life had he felt so emotionally drained as he did now, but in what he assumed was the best way possible. All of the anger, doubt, and everything else was gone, leaving only an odd clam he had never experienced before, something he could only assume had to do with the woman in his arms. Rogue had always brought out the best in him, and it was only with her he had ever felt he was truly himself. If only they both had realized sooner what the other felt, he might have had more than a day with her, he mused silently. But then again, he found it hard to regret anything that led to the sheer beauty of what had just occurred between them. A bit shaken by his emotions, Scott felt his body shake again with tears he couldn't shed.

"Sugah?" Rogue asked softly, moving to look at his face. Upon seeing his expression, she hugged him to her, pressing his face back into the crook of her neck were she was covered by the scarf and 'top.' "Oh sugah," she whispered, feeling the shakes start to rack his body in their intensity, "its okay."

He gave a choked sound, and buried his face against her, his eyes squeezed shut. God, but he hated not being able to cry properly sometimes. "Please," he begged, his voice a whisper, sounding as if he had no idea what he was begging for.

"Ah love you," she murmured at his ear, and felt his shaking ease a bit. "Ah love you," she repeated. "Mah lovah," he went still, "look at me, lovah," she told him, and he raised his shaded eyes to hers. "Scott," she began, even as he shifted so they were laying face to face again. "Ah know...Ah know exactly how ya feel for meh..."

He made a relieved sound, even as his hands slid up her sides. His face buried against her neck again and he took a deep breath, as her arms held on to him. Had he ever allowed anyone else to see him like this? He thought, then realized not even the Professor had seen him so emotional...at least not since he had become a teenager. Well, as if he needed more proof that Rogue was his angel.

"You ok?" Rogue asked softly, her hands smoothing along his jaw.

"Ow!" he said suddenly as he was reminded of the pain there. Pulling back to look at her, he gave a wry grin. "You sure don't hit like any girl I've ever met," he teased at her curious look.

Her mouth opened, then her expression turned to one of horror. "Oh Gawd," she groaned, letting her hand gently ghost over the area where there was an obvious hand print from her slap. "Ah'm so sorry, lovah," she murmured.

"Lover?" Scott asked softly, a hand coming up to run along her arm.

"Well, its what ya are, isn't it?" she asked, suddenly shy.

"Hmm," he said, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "It is, isn't it?" he said, a silly smile breaking out on his face. He watched her face for a moment, then gave her a serious look. "I'm so sorry..." he said, barely above a whisper.

Confused, she tilted her head. "For what?"

"Not being able to say it...even now..."

"Oh you," she murmured, her hands coming to gently cup his face again, mindful this time of where she had slapped him. "Scott..." She waited until she was sure he was looking directly at her. "Nevah, nevah in mah life have Ah felt lahke this," she whispered, leaning to press a soft kiss on either cheek. "Nevah felt so loved..." She paused, then met his eyes again. "Ya trust meh?"

"Always."

"Close ya eyes," she whispered, her hands drifting to the sides of his sunglasses.

"Done," he whispered back.

Sliding off his sunglasses, she set them aside, and placed her hands on either side of his face. Knowing the silk scarf was still in place over her lips, she trailed soft kisses all around his eyes and where his visor or the glasses always covered. He began to shake again, and she rolled him to his back, then moved on top of him. "Its okay, lovah," she murmured near his ear, then eased herself up to place a kiss on each eyelid with utmost care and affection.

As he felt her start to kiss the skin he normally had covered again, he let out a shaky breath. Like her own skin likely was, the skin he kept covered by his glasses/visor was ultra sensitive to normal touch, and her feather-light kisses were especially soothing somehow. No one had ever touched him like this, or even wanted to. To be so close to his eyes, with them either not tightly shut or covered by the ruby-quartz was dangerous, yet here Rogue was, placing kisses on and around his eyes, her way of showing him his mutation didn't matter any more than he thought hers did.

Finally, she placed one last kiss on each eyelid, then pulled back to put the glasses back on him. Once they were on, she slid off of him and moved back to lay her head on her own gym bag. She would've loved to curl up with him, but with her face still half bared, it would be too big a chance. Still, she wanted him close...Realizing he was still shaking a bit, she reached out and guiding him to her. He laid out next to her, and buried his face against her neck, breathing her in. Once he had her in his arms, and her arms around him, he went still, the calm from before settling in again.

"Thank you," he murmured against her neck, pressing a soft kiss there.

Smiling, she let one hand come up and rest in his hair, playing with it. "Yo' welcome, lovah." she replied, closing her eyes.

After a few minutes, she felt his breathing even out against her neck, and realized he had fallen asleep. That seemed like a brilliant idea, and it wasn't long before she too let the physical and emotional exhaustion of the afternoon drag her under, and slept holding her lover.

**3 hours later, roughly 5:30 PM -**

The sound of a phone ringing jostled Rogue from sleep, and for a moment she was disoriented. Then the afternoon came rushing back to her, and she found herself smiling down at Scott, who was still sleeping with his face near her neck. The phone seemed more insistent to be answered, with its ring getting louder, causing Rogue to reach into Scott's bag. Pulling it out and glancing at the caller ID, she would've groaned. Jean. Of course. Flipping it open, she placed it next to her ear on the other side from where Scott lay. "Hey Jean," she said, keeping her tone soft to keep from waking Scott.

"Rogue?" Jean's confused voice came across the line. "Where's Scott?"

"He uh...stepped away for a moment," Rogue said, glancing down again at her sleeping lover and praying if he woke he would stay quiet.

"Oh...well, Ororo is wondering if you two will be home for dinner?"

"What time is it?" Rogue asked, not even thinking.

"Nearly 5:30...How do you not know what time it is?" Jean asked.

"Haven't been payin' attention to it," came the honest answer. "And no...we won't be there fo' dinnah," Rogue added.

"Well, Kurt's been looking for you too, by the way. He thought you said you'd be home this afternoon and tonight."

Sighing, Rogue rolled her eyes. "Is he around?"

"Who? Kurt?"  
"Naw, th' boy next door, of course Ah mean Kurt." Rogue said, even as she felt Scott stir against her.

"One second."

Rogue could hear Jean say something to someone, then a moment later, her brother's voice came across the phone. "Rogue? Vhere are you?" It was obvious he was hurt and confused by her not being there when she had told him she would be, and Rogue felt a twinge of guilt.

"Ah'm sorry Kurt...Scott an' Ah got caught up in our game an' we took longah than Ah thought." It was a partial truth...their Racquetball games had never lasted as long as the one today had. "But Ah dunno when we'll be back fo' sure."

She heard her brother's sigh, and could feel Scott looking at her, having raised his head from her chest and neck. She motioned for him to stay quiet, even as Kurt replied. "Okay," the dejection in his tone was like a slap. "I guess I'll see you vhen you get home zhen?"

"O' course," she assured him. "An' Ah'll tell Kitty Ah'd much rathah spend time with you tomorrow than Logan," she added, hoping to lessen her feelings of guilt and make him happy.

"Really?" Kurt asked, his tone instantly lighter. "Zhat'd be great..." he suddenly switched to a whisper. "To be honest, she is getting a bit scary vith all zis party stuff..."

Rogue gave a small laugh. "Ororo'll keep her in line," she assured him and herself.

Kurt started laughing as well. "Sure she vill," he said. "I'll see you later zhen," was his goodbye, and the line went dead.

Closing the phone, Rogue set it back over by Scott's bag and finally looked at him again. "Hey lovah," she murmured to him.

"Hi," he whispered, moving the scarf back over her lips so he could kiss her. "Sleep well?" he asked, lowering his head to press a kiss to her neck, earning him a shiver.

"Mm," was her only answer. Pulling away gently, so there was no rejection in her move, she cupped his face in her hands. "You?"

"Better than I have in a while," he admitted. Knowing that they needed to settle things before they even thought about heading back to the mansion, he reached for an edge of the blanket and covered the two of them, thankful for the shade of the trees which had kept them from becoming sunburned. "So..." he began, unsure of how to start the conversation they needed to have.

A soft smile curved her lips. "So...?"

Realizing she wouldn't make it easy, as if she ever did, Scott reached up and fingered the ends of her hair as he answered. "What are we going to do, being so far apart?"

A soft sigh escaped her lips as she ran her fingers over his face. "Talk when we can, Ah suppose...work on makin' sure our powahs are undah our control." A lone finger traced along his sunglasses. "So that when we're togethah again," a finger traced down his abs now, hinting at more, "there's no more hidin'...no more gloves...no more sunglasses..."

"No more hiding?" he questioned, then it clicked. "You don't intend for anyone to know we're...?"

"Lovahs?" she finished, having already decided that fit what they were much better than the very high-school-ish sound of 'boyfriend and girlfriend.' "No...Ah don't intend for 'em t' know...not yet." She reached up and took one of his hands that was still playing with her hair and held it. Seeing his hurt and confusion, she squeezed his hand. "Scott...Ah'm not gonna make a spectacle of us. Ya an' Ah...we know how we've felt since we met...no one else does. An' on top of that, ya just broke up with Jean, who everyone thought ya loved..." She took a breath. "Ah just...Ah'm selfish Ah guess. When we do tell 'em...Ah want it t' be about _you an' meh..._not you, meh an' _her."_

Slowly, Scott nodded in agreement. "Okay." A small smile graced his lips. "I can live with that." He squeezed her hand back. "No spectacle." A short laugh escaped him. "That'd be a nice change. But you know when we do tell them, they'll still go crazy, just because it is us."

"Ah know." Glancing up at the sky, she sighed. "For now though...Ah'm gonna be greedy...selfish." Her eyes returned to him and grinning, she rolled him onto his back so she could move atop him. Leaning down so her lips were near his ear, she whispered, "Show meh again, lovah?"

Who was Scott to deny a request like that?

**A/N: **10k words and 14/15 pages later, I feel the need to stop. This chapter ran away from me, but I'm far too happy with the outcome to be upset about it. I do hope that you, my wonderful readers, are happy with it (and me) too. It may be a bit OOC for both Rogue and Scott in some parts, but they're two teens/young adults who've had feelings for each other for nearly two years without doing anything about it but denying it. I started off over-thinking this, and nearly ruined the chapter by having her actually walk away and leaving it there with nothing resolved. Well that'd get us nothing, now would it? Please feel free to critique, question or comment on how this turned out, whether you have an account on or not. Reviews help make me a better writer, after all.

**Review Responses for users:**

**Anoymous136:** I'm glad to see another review from you! Hopefully I don't scare you off with this chapter...I've come to look forward to your reviews.

**Guest: **Are you jumping up and down for joy? I hope you are! Scott may not have said the words, STILL, but well...I couldn't find a way to do it where it worked. Not sure why, but it never came out seeming natural from him anywhere in this chapter. At least our darling Rogue spoke up, right? And no Remy...hell, pretty much no anyone else in this chapter at all, just pure Scogue goodness! I will try and work the Rogue/Logan car-show bit in somewhere in a flash-back, perhaps at some point when they are having another conversation. Looking forward to another review from you, and to see how you think I handled it.


	12. Act I, Ch 11 -Still Have Tonight

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Chapter 11, "Still Got Tonight"**_

**Author Notes: ****I am sorry this has taken so long, but I realized belatedly that I had no profiles ready for Excalibur, much less anything else for next chapter when we get there! I had to start working on that, and got caught up in creating some original characters. But after some considerable work getting things ready for the next 'Act' of our story, and a couple of lovely reviews, I find myself ready to get this chapter written and posted. Sorry its taken so long, but given the chapter length (27/28 pages and over 20k words of content) I think you can understand! On with the show!**

**__****Important Note: ****I am looking for a place to host alternate chapters (with lyrics or perhaps some more 'sexy' scenes) as well as all of my character profiles and blueprints I've drawn up for my version of Muir Island. Does anyone know of a good place to do so? As I said last chapter, I used to use Yahoo! Groups, but I'm not sure I liked how that works. Please make your recommendations via review or PM!**

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred, Mystique), and my own unique Excalibur team...you'll find out who they are soon.

**One Day until Rogue's departure -**

**Kitchen, 11 AM -**

Normally at 11 am, the kitchen of the Xavier Institute was quiet, but not today. Ororo, Logan and Raven were in there preparing food for the party later on, while out in the back yard, most of the students were helping Kitty set up decorations. Hank and Roberto were setting up a karaoke machine off to one side of the pool, the one thing that apparently Rogue had specifically requested, much to everyone's surprise. Rogue was currently upstairs and out of the way of the prep, being kept company by her brother as she had promised him. A door opening had Ororo looking over, and she smiled broadly at Jean who was entering.

Re-doing the elastic around her hair, Jean returned the smile. "How is everything going in here?" she asked, walking over the table and sitting down so she stayed out of the way.

"Everything is going well," Ororo said, setting a huge bowl of freshly cut watermelon into the fridge. "I think we're nearly ready to take a break, actually." She glanced out of the massive window into the back yard. "How are all of you fairing out there?"

"Well, we have a good start. To be honest, I don't think we really needed Kurt's help nearly as much as he needs the extra time with Rogue, so I'm glad he's the one with her now." She sighed. "I still can't understand why she insisted on staying out so long yesterday, knowing he had wanted more time with her."

Logan grunted from his spot at a cutting board where he was finishing cutting cantaloupe as Ororo had requested. He knew exactly why his favorite student had stayed away, and he was a bit put out at not having a chance to talk to her about it. Honestly, the girl thought a swim in a creek would cover _that_ smell? Hadn't he taught her better? Hadn't they _just _discussed this stuff at the car show? He looked up at Ororo, who was also aware of why Rogue had stayed out, and wondered how she'd handle this.

Ororo would've winced if not for the fact that Jean was watching her. Only she and Logan had still been awake when Rogue and Scott had finally made it home at around 11:30 last night. Logan had stiffened immediately upon sniffing the air, and that was the last bit of proof Ororo needed. Wanda had mentioned her gift to Rogue in passing, so there was no point wondering about 'how.' And while Ororo wasn't sure about the 'why' (or perhaps 'why now' was the better question), all that mattered now was that whenever Jean found out, it was in a way that wouldn't aggravate her. The red-head was known for having one hell of a temper as a child, and though she suppressed it well now, there were times you could see it bubbling under the surface. Now, with the vision Xavier had as well, of Jean loosing control, keeping Jean's anger from exploding was even more crucial.

While all of this was running through Ororo's mind, Jean hid a frown. The weather-witch normally had excellent shields, and kept Jean from seeing even glimpses of what she was thinking of. At the moment though, with her concern, one image kept seeping through her shields and allowing Jean to realize why Rogue had stayed away from the mansion. An image of Scott and Rogue entering from the garage, his arm around her waist, a hint of a bruise or hickey barely visible near the neckline of her t-shirt, both of them with a soft smile; it was an image that burned itself into her brain and left Jean feeling like she had been slapped.

"I suppose we all have to be happy with what time she's given us this week," Ororo finally said, ignoring the way Raven and Logan looked at her. "Its likely not been easy for her, deciding who to give how much time," she mused. "Scott was her first friend here," she added, "I guess she decided he deserved as much time as Kurt or Kitty," she said, since Kitty and Kurt had both had over a full day with Rogue.

"Mmm," Jean agreed. She stood up to stretch, and after a brief glance outside, decided there was something more important for her to do at the moment. "If Kitty comes looking for me, tell her I'll be back down soon. I just need to go lay down for a minute...I've got a bit of a headache."

Nodding, and feeling a bit worried that perhaps Jean had picked up on something from her, Ororo sent the Professor a brief message to warn him. "If you need anything, let us know," she said, even as Jean left the room. Her sapphire eyes cut to Raven and Logan, the latter of which she could tell shared her concern over Jean's sudden departure. Raven seemed more concerned about something else, and was fixing both Logan and Ororo with a pointed look.

"What exactly was that about?" the shape-shifter asked, her tone hard. "And why do I get the feeling it has something to do with my daughter and that damned Summers?"

"Yer gonna hafta ask Stripes yerself," Logan grunted, scooping the last of the fruit into the massive Tupperware bowl in front of him.

Golden eyes narrowed and Raven fingered the knife she had been using to cut some pineapple. "With an evasive answer like that, I wonder if I shouldn't just go ahead and castrate the boy, just to be safe."

Logan gave a wry smile. If not for the fact that Summers was a student, and it would undoubtedly upset Rogue, he would've done the job last night. "Not a smart idea, Raven," he advised, leaving it at that.

Groaning, she stabbed the knife into one of the uncut pineapples near her, and buried her face in her hands. "What the hell is it about that boy she finds so damned appealing?" Raven wondered. Really, Summers was nothing more than a boy playing at being a man.

"She loves him," Ororo answered, having seen that much clearly in the interactions between the two over the time Rogue had been a member of the X-men. The poor girl had nearly worried herself to death both when he had been lost at sea, and in the desert. "Does it matter what she finds appealing about him?"

"She..._what?" _Raven asked in disbelief.

Logan sighed and leaned against a counter. "She does," he admitted. He wasn't exactly thrilled either, he considered Stripes to be like a daughter, and honestly thought she could do better. Though he was glad she wasn't interested in that stupid Cajun.

"Oh for the love of..." Raven complained. "I knew I should've just killed Summers when I had the chance," she mused aloud.

Shaking her head, Ororo glanced at the door that led to the den. There was no point in joining the conversation now that the shape-shifter was angry with Scott. Neither Logan nor Raven would be worth talking to for at least an hour. She just hoped that Jean was okay.

**Rogue and Wanda's Room – 11:50 AM -**

Kurt reclined on his sister's bed while she finished taping up one last box of her clothes. It was hard, watching her finish packing, but he'd do it if it meant he got extra time with her before tomorrow. She still refused to tell him why she had been out all day with Scott, since as far as he knew, the two hadn't been nearly as close since she joined the team as they were before. They had very nearly fought about it before Kurt finally dropped the topic, deciding it wasn't worth ruining his last full day with Rogue. Instead, he had changed the topic to what she thought Muir Island was going to be like, and resolved to corner Scott at the first opportunity.

"Gawd, its amazing how much _stuff_ ya can accumulate in two years," Rogue moaned, dropping onto her bed next to Kurt. Her green eyes were rimmed with gray when she looked up at him. "Hard t' believe its been that long," she said softly, only to be interrupted by a knock at the door. "Wondah who that is..."

Kurt sat up as Rogue moved to open the bedroom door, and was probably just as surprised as his sister to see Jean there. "Hey Rogue...I know I'm interrupting, but...well...I was hoping we could talk?"

Unsure of what might've caused Jean to seek her out, but not wanting to be rude either, Rogue stepped aside to allow Jean in to the room. Her eyes turned to her brother. "Maybe ya aughta go see if Kitty c'n use a hand?"

Nodding, Kurt glanced briefly back to Jean. The red-head could tell he was curious why she'd want to talk to Rogue, but with no other option available, the boy ported himself out of the room. Closing the door behind her, Jean moved to sit down at Rogue's desk. "It looks strange," Jean mused as she glanced around the room. "I've gotten so used to coming in here and seeing your things about." Her eyes fell on Wanda's half of the room, which was decorated in a similar manner to how Rogue's had been. "Then, I thought it was strange when Kitty started rooming with me," she admitted.

Rogue gave a soft snort of amusement as she lowered herself back onto her bed to sit. "How do ya think Ah felt when Ah moved in heah?"

Jean smiled genuinely. "I can imagine," she said. Her gazed drifted off towards the window, and for a moment, she seemed distracted.

"Jean? Somethin' on ya mind"

Looking back to Rogue, she sighed. "There is."

"Ya wanna talk about it?"

"What happened with you and Scott yesterday? The real answer," she added, noting the look on Rogue's face. "I caught a glimpse from Ororo of you two as you came in, and I doubt you got a bruise on your collarbone while you were playing Racquetball."

Taking a deep breath, Rogue met Jean's lighter green eyes dead on. "He an' I finally admitted th' truth," she said slowly, softly, fully aware of how raw the failure of their relationship probably was to Jean. "He told meh that ya knew," she added.

"I did," Jean admitted. "I suspected something was going on when he started blocking me...and when he finally opened his mind to me..." Jean sighed. "I knew I couldn't hope to hold on to him for much longer, not when I saw how he feels about you." Her eyes closed for a moment, and she took a steadying breath, the feeling of hopelessness she had experienced hitting her again. "I still can't believe that I never realized sooner how much he..." she choked on the words for a moment, "how much he loves you."

Rogue gave a sad smile. "Ah can't believe Ah nevah saw it eithah," she murmured, and in a brief moment, her mind opened to Jean, allowing the red-head a glimpse of the day before, as Rogue had held Scott to her while his body shook with un-shed tears. "But Ah guess Ah might as well tell ya...Ah love him too."

"Did you tell him?" Jean asked, startled by the image of a Scott that wasn't able to keep his emotions under wraps. She had thought she knew Scott, but he had certainly never allowed her to see him so undone.

"Yeah," Rogue said, a smile on her face that Jean couldn't decipher. For a few seconds, she allowed herself to get lost in the memories she and her lover had made less than 24 hours prior. Refocusing, she looked at Jean.

Jean gave Rogue the few seconds, and though she gently tested Rogue's mind, found the girls shields were stronger than normal. "So...are you two...dating?" she asked, 'dating' being the only word she could come up with that she was even remotely able to say.

"Somethin' lahke that," Rogue admitted. "Though we aren't plannin' on makin' a deal of it."

"Oh?" Jean asked, surprise clear in her tone and expression.

"Ya an' Scott only just broke up," Rogue said gently, "If suddenly he an' Ah said we were...t'gethah, there'd be an uproar. Eithah they'd say he was cheatin' on ya, or Ah seduced him, or Lawd only knows what," Rogue clarified, lifting her hands to gesture as she spoke. "An' th' last thing Ah think any o' th' three of us wants is more attention, especially raght now."

A part of Jean found it incredibly thoughtful that Rogue was trying to keep the three of them more speculation than they normally endured for various reasons, but there was a small part of her that was angry...far more angry than reasonable, that Rogue would take it upon herself to assume what would be the best for them all. Feeling her powers swirling in her mind, Jean squeezed her eyes shut. What was with her lately? Ever since the fight against the Professor when he was under Apocalypse's control, her own powers had seemed different, and it scared her. "Rogue," she whispered, scared of the way her anger had flared so suddenly.

"Jean?" Rogue was off her bed quickly, and knelt down beside the red-head. "What's goin' on?"

"I don't know..." Jean murmured, holding her head in her hands. "Something isn't right..."

Just as Rogue was about to say something, Jean's eyes flared golden, and something came flying across the room and hit Rogue in the shoulder, knocking her onto her back. Sitting up, Rogue mentally called for the Professor, noting that there were other items in the room starting to float and move thanks to Jean's powers.

"_Rogue? What's wrong?" _Xavier asked, even as he left his office and headed towards the girls dorms, sending an alert for Ororo, Erik and Logan to meet him there.

"_Its Jean. Somethin' ain't right..."_ Rogue said, moving back onto her knees to get a good look at the older girl. Her eyes were no longer the bright green of norm, and instead had taken on a fiery appearance that was unsettling to say the least. _"She's..."_ Any thought Rogue had been about to send to the Professor was cut off when Wanda's computer chair came flying at Rogue from behind, catching her in the upper back and sending her sprawling. Dazed, Rogue laid there until she heard the bedroom door crash open. "Should Ah touch her?" she asked the Professor, knowing it had worked once to bring Jean back from a power surge.

"Absolutely not," Xavier said, even as he tried to reach Jean via telepathy. He could sense his protege still there, but a new presence was there in her mind, one that wanted him to stay out. "Jean!" he called to her.

Groaning, Rogue lifted back up to look at Jean. "Jean...look at meh!" she ordered, gaining the full attention of the red-head. "C'mon Jean...ya c'n fight this."

While Rogue and the Professor tried to reach Jean, Magneto worked on holding some of the objects to the floor (primarily Xavier's wheelchair) so that Jean had less ammunition to use against them. It was a struggle, even given his incredible power, but he did the best he could. Beside him, Logan was growling low. Suddenly, Logan cut a way through the mess in the air to reach Rogue, and crouched near her to block anything that might hurt her worse, though blood was starting to seep through her shirt from a cut on her back.

Jean let out a sound of pain, and grasped her head again. "I can't..."

"Yes, ya can Jean," Rogue said, giving the girl something to focus on while Xavier tried to help her telepathically. "Ya did it once..."

"Its different," Jean insisted, her voice still one of someone in a great deal of pain, but her eyes were starting to return to their normal shade of green. "It hurts...so bad..."

"Its gonna be okay, Jean" Rogue reassured, glancing at the Professor who nodded at her finally. Slipping off one sheer glove, Rogue lifted her hand. "Ya gonna sleep for a bit, okay?" she told her, then touched her hand to the girl's face. Her powers took a moment to kick in, surprising Rogue, but when they did, the pull was stronger than normal, forcing Rogue to jerk her hand away after only a second or two of absorption. Squeezing her eyes shut, Rogue leaned forward on her hands and knees, while Logan moved to catch Jean before she fell off of the desk chair. "Gawd, her mind is a mess," she moaned, opening hers to the Professor immediately so he could both see what had caused Jean's outburst and help her push Jean into a corner of her mind with the rest of the psyches.

"Indeed," Xavier murmured, sifting through Jean's recent memories. Odd dreams full of fire, disappointment that she had lost what could have been a great love in Scott, and an all consuming rage that was definitely not Jean's own. Curious, he poked more at the source of the rage, and once again had a vision of Jean enveloped in a fiery bird...a phoenix. "Curious," he said, not even aware it was aloud. Looking at his favorite student, he gave a heavy sigh. He would have to wait until she woke, but never in his life had Charles Xavier hoped more that he would be able to help another, not even his own son. Jean had filled a void in his life that would've belonged to David, had he known about him sooner, the void only a child could fill, and he had always treated her as if she was his own. But the time for blind faith that things would turn out as they were meant to was past, he finally acknowledged, as he had done with Rogue. It was finally time to make Jean aware of her full potential, and take all of the steps necessary to ensure this rage never tainted the beautiful young girl he loved so much like a daughter.

With the newest ghost of Jean 'put away,' Rogue finally allowed Ororo to help her to her feet, where she swayed unsteadily. Reaching up, Rogue fingered the back of her skull, only to pull her hand away quickly. "Ow!" she muttered, and stared at her red-stained fingers. "Ah'm bleedin...?" she half asked, half stated, surprised.

"Lets get you down to the med-lab," Ororo said, then looked up as the students, Raven and Hank came rushing to the doorway of the room, obviously drawn by the crashing sounds of objects falling when Rogue had absorbed Jean.

"What in the hell happened here?" Raven asked, moving towards her daughter immediately. "Darling, are you okay?" Her golden eyes roved her daughter and found the two sources of bleeding, then glared at the red-head in Logan's arms. "That little..." she began, only to be cut off by Logan.

"Spare us th' threats, lady," Logan growled. "It ain't Red's fault...not totally."

Scott stepped carefully into the room, his eyes focused solely on Rogue. "Why?" was all he could think to ask, wishing he could check over Rogue himself. He finally allowed his eyes to switch to Jean, and the concern that he'd always had for her, as his one-time closest friend swelled. "Are they going to be okay?"

"Yes," Xavier said, even as Erik lifted his chair backwards over a bit of rubble that used to be Wanda's nightstand. "But for now, let us get them downstairs so Hank can check them over."

Nodding, Raven glanced at Rogue. "Would you mind if I...?" she began, a motherly concern she had rarely expressed openly making her want to be near her daughter.

Rogue gave the shape-shifter as much of a considering look as she could, but before she could answer, her legs gave out; the hit to her head and upper back finally showing its effects on her equilibrium. Strong arms caught her before she could hit the floor, and a faint scent of soap and the mild aftershave he used alerted her to the fact it was her lover. Sighing, Rogue allowed her arms to wrap around Scott's neck, and she leaned her head against his shoulder, mindful of the bared skin of their faces. "Kurt," Scott snapped, his 'leader' persona taking over, his only defense against the panic that threatened to over take him. "Med-lab, NOW."

Nodding, Kurt reached out to Dr. McCoy, who grabbed the boy's hand, then put a hand on Scott's shoulder. Not even a second later, the four of them disappeared in a cloud of brimstone smoke.

**Med Lab, 2PM, 2 hours until Party -**

As he sat near her bed, Scott wished he could openly hold her hand as the Cajun was doing on the other side of the bed. Despite having passed the physical by Hank moments ago, other than the nasty cut on her back, and the smaller one on her head, Rogue would be just fine for her trip the next morning. Logan had offered use of his healing factor, and Rogue had already said she would take him up on it if the Professor and Dr. McCoy said it was okay. The last thing she wanted, and oh how she hated that it made her seem like one of 'those girls,' was to be sporting stitches at her own going-away party.

"How's Jean?" Rogue asked gently, even as she looked to her brother. She knew Kurt was kicking himself for leaving her with Jean, but honestly, how could anyone have guessed what the girl would do?

"Zhe Professor is vith her," Kurt answered from his perch on the end of the bed, his tail swinging idly from side to side. "He says she'll be okay, but zhat he may ask her to stay away from zhe party...just in case..."

"No," Rogue said, her tone final, surprising the three boys. "She has t' be there..."

"Chere, de femme could o' killed you," Remy protested, his eyes flashing a the thought.

"It wasn't Jean," Rogue replied, staring him down. "Ya forget, Ah got t' see her mind right aftah it all...she was scared t' death, an' didn't wanna hurt meh."

Scott reached out, setting a hand on top of hers, the only show of affection he knew she'd allow with the others here. "Okay," he told her, gaining her attention. "Look, I'll go talk to the Professor, see if he'll change his mind...Okay?"

Rogue nodded slowly, a grateful look on her face. "Ah appreciate it."

Scott stood and moved to the door to the room. "I'll be back," he assured her.

Once Scott had left, Rogue looked back to her brother. "So, are th' othahs nearly done settin' up outside?"

Kurt nodded and hopped down from the foot of the bed so he could take up Scott's chair. "Kitty and ze girls are upstairs getting ready," he said, amusement in his voice. "Vhy do girls need two whole hours to get ready?" he asked his sister, hoping she'd have an answer.

"Gals lahke Kitty an th' othahs wanna look their best," Rogue said simply, a soft smile on her face. "Ah guess they figure if they start early enough, if they mess somethin' up, they'll have time t' fix it."

Kurt gave a laugh, as did Remy. "Dat be de best explanation I heard yet," Remy told her, squeezing her hand as he did. Her eyes cut to him, and she smiled. Oh how he was cursing Summers and the fact that he finally made his move.

As those gray-green eyes turned back to Kurt, she reached out to ruffle her brother's hair. "Mind goin' and findin' the Doc for meh?" she asked. "Ah'm ready t' get outta heah."

Kurt stood from the chair immediately at her request, nodding. "Ja, sure." For once, Kurt had the sense to leave the room before porting, and stepped into the hallway, then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Remy considered the girl in front of him for a moment, then smiled at her. "Was it what ya t'ought it'd be, Chere?"

A light blush stained her cheeks and began to creep down her neck at his question, but the smile that she couldn't hide was all the answer he needed. He had seen that smile many times on some of his past 'conquests,' the ones who had made the mistake of falling for him. It was a mix of affection (or in this case, love), contentment, and that mysterious look a woman could get after a good (again, in this case) afternoon of lovemaking.

"Was bettah," she admitted after a long few seconds. That smile stayed put, and her eyes lost any gray they'd had, becoming a shimmering green that was even more amazing than normal. "So much bettah."

Remy could feel the emotions swirling in her, and despite himself, smiled. Never had he been around a woman who was so definitely in love, it was a new experience, one he couldn't make up his mind if he liked or not given who it was. "M glad, ma chere," he admitted. At least the boy had made it good for her, he mused.

"Glad for what?" Scott asked as he entered the room, moving back to his seat at her side. "Where's Kurt?"

"Kurt went t' ask th' Doc how soon Ah c'n get outta heah," Rogue said, turning those shimmering green eyes to her lover. When she reached for his hand, Scott hesitated, glancing at Remy, then realized the Cajun probably already knew. Lacing his fingers with hers, he felt a bit of his panic from earlier seep back in, and wished he could climb into the bed and hold her.

"Jus' glad de femme's okay," Remy said, even as he stood. Seeing Rogue's curious look, he smiled at her. "M gonna go see if dey need some help outside b'fore I go get m'self ready."

Nodding, Rogue squeezed his hand. "See ya latah, Remy."

Now alone, Scott brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. "I'm so glad you're alright," he said, reaching up with his other hand to brush back her white bangs from her face carefully.

Smiling that same smile she'd had since Remy asked her how things had been with Scott, she would've kissed him had she been able. "Ah'm fahne, lovah," she assured him.

Standing, Scott reached into the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out the thin bandana he had stashed there this morning. Placing it over her lips, he leaned in for a gentle kiss. He could feel her fingers tangle in his hair, coaxing him to linger. A part of him heard footsteps from deeper in the med-lab, causing Scott to pull away immediately and tucked the bandana back into his pocket. As the footsteps got closer, they became heavier, meaning it was likely Dr. McCoy. After brushing one last kiss over her temple, protected by her hair, Scott sat back down in the chair at her side, only to be surprised when she took his hand again. Apparently the adults were allowed to know they were together, he mused, thinking of the way Ororo and Logan had looked at them when they came home last night.

As Dr. McCoy came into view, his eyes focused momentarily on the joined hands of the students, and a corner of his mouth turned up in an unnoticeable smile. It was nice to see Rogue accepting contact, after all of her efforts to stay away from the others. "Well, my dear," the Doctor began, adjusting a pair of glasses that looked far too dainty with his massive frame, "Logan should be down shortly to allow you to 'borrow' his healing factor. Once you've had a few minutes to heal, I'll come back in to take that bandage off of your back."

Scott glanced at Rogue, then looked back to Dr. McCoy. "I can help her get the bandage off," Scott said, looking at Rogue from the corner of his eyes to see her reaction.

Fighting a smile, Hank gave the two a once over. "I suppose that's alright," he said. "There are a few things I would like to finish up before the festivities tonight," he added, finally allowing a small smile to show through. No need to let the kids think he was a big softy when it came to matters of the heart, though. His eyes focused on Scott. "I'm sure I don't need to tell you to be careful."

Shaking his head, Scott felt Rogue squeeze his hand. "No, you don't," he answered.

"There are some gloves behind you, and in that drawer," he gestured to a nearby cabinet, "is some rubbing alcohol and cotton balls if there is any adhesive left behind." He checked his watch, just as Logan came strolling into the room. "Ah, perfect timing," he nodded to the feral mutant, then turned for the door. "I'll leave you to it then," was his parting comment, as he headed further into the labs to check on Xavier's progress with Jean.

"Ya ready fer this, Stripes?" Logan asked even as he moved closer to the bed where she lay. He knew, thanks to their few heart-to-hearts, that absorbing him was by far one of the worst experiences she'd had before. His unknown past, coupled with what little he did know made for strange and often frightening dreams for a good few days after. She had confided in him that after the first time she absorbed him, she had been unable to sleep for three days, until Xavier had confronted her on her obvious exhaustion and used his telepathy to allow her to sleep without dreams. Only Creed and Magneto created similar reactions in the girl.

"Ready as Ah can be," she admitted, even as she released Scott's hand and stripped off one sheer glove. Flexing her fingers, her green eyes met Logan's, then stretched out her bared hand.

Ignoring the fact that Summers was even present, Logan took a breath, then touched his hand to hers. As it had that morning with Jean, Rogue's powers were not instantaneous, and took a second or two to kick in. Just as he was about to ask her what was going on, Logan felt the pull of her powers begin, and was shocked at how much stronger than normal it was. With his healing factor, he could normally stand contact for 5-10 seconds before he started to feel the need to drop into a coma (however brief he'd be that way), but after the first second of contact this time, he felt his legs shake under him and pulled away.

Rogue could feel the cut on her back heal quickly, as well as the one on her head, and took a steadying breath. Something was definitely off with her powers, she mused, putting the glove back on. She had noticed it briefly the day before when Scott had been able to wipe that bit of strawberry sauce from her mouth, but the rest of the afternoon had completely made her forget about it until earlier when her powers had not activated immediately upon contact with Jean. Glancing up, she noticed that Hank and the Professor were entering the room, and had never been happier to see them.

"Well that was quick," Hank mused, taking note of the fact that Logan had sat down. "I thought we said only a few seconds would do?" he asked, well aware of the way Rogue's powers affected him normally.

"Somethin' was different," Rogue answered for him, causing all four men to look at her. "Its been different the past couple times..."

Rolling closer, Xavier rested his hands in his lap. "Would you please elaborate?" he requested.

"Yestahday, Scott touched mah face for barely a second, an' nothin' happened," she said, green eyes focused on the Professor. "Then t'day when Ah touched Jean...mah powers didn't kick in right away, but when they did...it was...faster. Th' transfer Ah mean. Same with Logan jus' now."

"How much faster?" Hank asked, moving to stand at the foot of the bed.

"Well...it was kinda like th' difference between drivin' in a school zone and drivin' on th' freeway," that the best analogy she could come up with.

Amused by her choice of words, Hank gave a brief smile. "So at least double the usual rate then?"

"Ah guess that'd be about right," Rogue confirmed with a nod.

After sharing a look with Hank, Xavier reached out to pat at Rogue's ankle absently. "I'll make sure to pass this new development on to Moira," he told her. "But unfortunately, I can only speculate about the change, and what caused it." He sighed heavily. "Something I find myself often doing in regards to your powers, I'm afraid."

Rogue gave a comforting smile. "Hey, ya've tried," she reminded him. "Its more than Ah evah expected when Ah moved in," she admitted.

"Well, I need to go back and check on Jean one last time before releasing her to get ready," Hank said, then glanced at Logan who was finally pushing back to his feet, obviously recovered from the increased potency of Rogue's powers. "If you need me, you know where to find me," he added, heading back to the second med-bay where Jean was currently resting.

Giving Rogue's ankle another brief pat, Xavier smiled. "I'll go send Moira a message to alert her of the new development, so she has time to work up some theories," he said, backing up his wheelchair a bit before turning for the door that led to the elevator. "Logan, why don't you go ensure all of the students are inside and getting cleaned up?" he asked of the older mutant, his tone not one of casual suggestion, so much as it was a lightly put order.

Grunting, Logan reached out and briefly ruffled Rogue's hair. "Yeah," he muttered, letting his eyes focus on his favorite student. "See ya later, Stripes," he told her, then followed Xavier from the room.

Alone again at last, Scott let his eyes turn back to Rogue. "Why do I get the feeling he was ignoring me?" he jokingly asked.

"Because he was, sugah," Rogue told him lightly, even as she undid the ties on the hospital gown Hank had asked her to wear when he bandaged her. "How about ya help ya lovah get this damned bandage off?" she asked. "Its startin' t' itch."

Smiling, he stood and retrieved a pair of the latex gloves from the box. "I can do that," he assured her, even as he pulled out the rubbing alcohol and cotton balls. Walking around the bed, he made sure to pull the privacy curtain, just in case anyone else should come down to check on Rogue or Jean. "Do you have the other top on or...?"

"No..." Rogue gestured to a small bundle on top of a cabinet, even as she shifted on the bed to let her legs hang off of one side. "But Ah had Wanda grab meh a clean one," she told him. "Th' othah one was bloody, so Ororo was gonna get it washed for meh tonight, along with mah t-shirt."

Reminded of how close things might have been, Scott leaned forward and pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "I'm so glad you're okay," he told her, as he dipped a few cotton balls in the alcohol. Once they had enough on them for his taste, he dabbed the cotton along the tape for the bandage, and slowly eased it away from her delicate skin. She seemed content to sit there in silence and let him work, so he allowed himself to examine the unmarred skin before him, amazed at how smooth it seemed. While he hated that her powers had forced her to cover up nearly all her life, he couldn't dispute (no one could, he imagined) the effect it had on her skin. Remembering what she had just said about her powers, Scott briefly considered taking a huge risk and touching that flawless flesh, before forcing himself to remember how badly it could back-fire. No. He would wait until his angel was touchable before doing things like that. He could wait.

Once he had finished his task, Scott ran the glove briefly over the spot where the nasty cut had jaggedly run from one shoulder blade and over the edge of the other. Now there was no evidence of it, and he had to marvel at how well Logan's healing factor really worked. "All done, lovah?" Rogue asked him, turning her head to catch a glimpse of him.

"Mm," he murmured in confirmation, even as he tossed the cotton balls and bloody bandage in the appropriate waste receptacle. Hank was very strict on anything that might have hints of their DNA on it, and insisted it be burned to avoid anyone trying to research them without their approval, especially after the events that had occurred when they were revealed to the masses. "How do you feel?" he asked, smoothing her hair as he came back around the bed so he could look at her face.

"Right as rain," she assured him, accepting the sheer top as he handed it to her. There was no hesitation on her part as she dropped the hospital gown to slip it on, and she was very much aware of the way Scott's eyes lingered on the mark he had made on her collarbone, and on her bared chest. Smiling, she quirked an eyebrow. "Enjoyin' th' view?"

"Of course," Scott replied, a grin on his face. "You told me I was allowed to," he reminded her.

"That ya are," she said, reaching out to pull him closer to her, even as she scooted to the edge of the bed. Once she had him settled between her spread denim-clad legs, she wrapped one arm around his neck, while the other hand dipped into his pocket for the bandana he had used earlier. She placed the cloth over her lips even as Scott's mouth lowered to hers. Giving a soft sound of approval, she slid the now free hand up to tangle in his hair as she loved to do.

Scott wasn't sure how long he stood there kissing her, but when a soft moan escaped Rogue's lips, he drew back, staring into her slightly dazed eyes. Much as he hated it, he knew they had best stop before someone came in. It certainly wouldn't do to be caught making out with a topless Rogue in the med-lab...he was hard pressed to think what would be worse...one of the students catching them, or her mother coming by to check on her. "Hun," he murmured, causing her eyes to clear. "We need to stop...and you need to get upstairs so you can get ready."

A hint of a smile formed on her lips when he called her 'hun,' it being the first term of endearment he had used with her. "Ah know," she sighed, letting the bandana fall into her lap. "Ah just wish we had more time before Ah go."

"Me too," he assured her, even as he pulled away to grab her bra and t-shirt that Wanda had brought down. Handing them to her, he picked up the bandana and folded it back up to place it in his pocket. "But like we said yesterday," he began, reaching out to hold one of her hands once she had finished getting dressed, "we both need to do this. I couldn't live day to day knowing that all it would take was one mistake while we were together, and all of a sudden I'd be blasting you at close range whether I want to or not. Just like you can't live the rest of your life only touching me, and everyone else you care about, through fabric."

Leaning forward, she hugged him tightly, careful to keep her hair between her head and his. There was no need to say anything. He already knew, after all. After she had talked him into showing her how he felt for a second time (not that it took much to convince him), they had spent the next few hours talking about all of the things no one else at the mansion would understand. About how it felt to constantly have to hide a part of yourself, to constantly have to be in control of your attire (his glasses, her clothing) to ensure you were safe to those around you. And about how life and their powers had changed them; Him into a what most would dub a 'control freak,' and an 'emotion-less robot.' For her, it had changed her from a stereo-typical Southern Belle with a tom-boyish side into a Goth Princess, "Ice Queen"...Untouchable in every sense until she had met the X-men and allowed her more positive emotions to show again.

Life for both of them had been much harder than anyone realized. For Scott, his innocence was lost in the period between the plane crash that cost him his parents and the time Xavier had finally rescued him from what could have become a very self-destructive life. Rogue's innocence, whatever there might have been after having to pretty well take care of herself while living with Irene, had been violently stripped from her the moment her powers manifested. One can't remain ignorant of the ways of life once you've touched people like Logan and Erik, or even Ororo, who had a hard life in Africa before she and her sister had made to New York.

"Come on," Scott coaxed after giving her a few moments to collect herself. As she pulled away and wiped at her eyes, which had become damp with tears, Scott smiled at her gently. "I'll walk you up to your room, okay?"

Nodding, Rogue slid off of the bed. "That sounds good, lovah," she told him, reaching out to lace her fingers with his. As the two of them left the med-lab, neither of them noticed the petite brunette who was hiding just out of sight, her expression one of total shock.

**Rogue and Wanda's room – 2:45 pm – a little over an hour to party -**

Scott pushed the door to Rogue's room open, having left her only a few minutes ago to retrieve something from his room. She was seated at the vanity she and Wanda shared, gently running a comb through her hair in the back, attempting to detangle the hair that had been clumped with blood earlier. Hearing him, she turned, a smile on her lips just for him. Closing the door most of the way behind him, he crossed to her, grabbing a chair on the way. As he sat down in front of her, he returned her smile.

"So, what was it ya needed to get from yo' room, lovah?" she asked, reaching out to gently touch his knee.

"This..." he murmured, pulling a large jewelry box from behind his back, pleased with her shocked expression. "I got it for you that first Christmas you were with us...I guess a part of me hoped...well...you know how what I hoped," he said, tone laced with amusement. "But it never seemed...right, at that point, to give you something like this."

Dazed, Rogue reached for the box, her eyes wide. "What...?" A part of what he was saying sunk in, and she remembered her first Christmas with the X-men. The same Christmas she and Scott had gone out after Angel. She had given Scott a present, a sweater he had turned out to enjoy since, but he had never given her something in return. Even the most recent Christmas, when he had given her a couple of CD's, he had made no reference to the fact that he still "owed" her a gift.

"Well, jewelry is considered to be a rather intimate gift," he admitted, smiling at her.

"Ya bought this...ovah a year ago?" she asked, her green eyes meeting his. When he nodded, she found herself surprised he had kept it this long instead of returning it.

"Yes," he replied, finally moving to open the box for her. Inside, on a bed of green, was a choker and bracelet. Both were made of white gold, if the little tag in the box was correct, and took her breath away. The choker was a one inch black silk ribbon laced through a vine of white gold that had a single full-bloom rose with hints of red. The bracelet was much more delicate, coming in at 1/4 of an inch in thickness, it too had a silk ribbon laced through vines made of white gold, but instead of roses in full bloom, this had a mix of rose buds and half-opened roses along it.

"Scott...why would ya..." She stared at the jewelry for a moment longer, before raising her eyes to meet his. "I mean...ya were still hung up on..."

"Yeah, well..." Scott began, a shy smile on his face. "I was roaming the mall looking for something to get you, I had no idea what the hell you'd want. For that matter, I had no idea if you'd even wear or use anything I got you. But, I happened to walk past this store, saw this in a case...I don't know...I had to get it for you," he said, watching the expressions on her face while he spoke. "When I got home though, Jean and Kitty were home too, and...I just couldn't bring myself to give it to you in front of them."

Understanding, she reached out and slid her fingers along his jaw, ghosting them over the faint bruise from where she had slapped him the day before. "Can't imagine why," she teased lightly.

Clearing his throat, Scott averted his eyes from her for a moment. Honestly, he normally had better control of himself than this. Stupid teenage hormones. "Well...um...I just thought this would be a good time to give them to you," he said, shifting himself on the chair, trying to get comfortable again.

Sensing his discomfort, Rogue smiled. "Ah appreciate it, lovah," she told him, scooting closer to him on the vanity bench. Lifting a lightweight black scarf from along the mirror of the vanity, she used it to be able to kiss him until they were both breathless. When she pulled away, her green eyes found his through the sunglasses. "Its beautiful..."

Nodding, he ran a hand down her arm. "I'm glad you like it," he murmured, leaning in and stealing one last kiss through the scarf. "But I'd better go...wouldn't do to be caught alone in here with you, not with the way Logan is today."

Giving a soft laugh, she made a noise of agreement. "Ah'll see ya down at th' party," she told him, even as she lifted the scarf back to the mirror for now.

Putting her chair back where it belonged, he glanced at her one last time from the door. Already she had set the box off to a side of the vanity, and was moving to the private bath she and Wanda shared. As if knowing he was watching her, she smiled at him one last time, then slipped out of sight. A wry smile on his face, Scott headed to his room to get ready.

**Rogue and Wanda's room – 3:30 pm – 30 minutes to party -**

Rogue sat at the vanity in the room she shared with Wanda, a simple black robe tied at her waist as she finished twisting her auburn hair into a elaborate up-do. Securing it with a few extra hair pins, she turned her head from side to side slowly, admiring the look. As she picked up a brush, a soft knock sounded at the door, surprising her. "Who's theah?" she called, sliding the brush through the white bangs that framed her face.

"Its me," her adopted mother's voice came from the other side of the door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," she replied, and turned to face the door as Mystique entered, two boxes in hand, one significantly larger than the other. "What's that ya got?"

"My presents for your going away party," Raven said with a soft smile as she laid the two boxes onto Rogue's bed. "Open them," she invited, even as she pulled over the chair from Rogue's desk to sit on.

Sitting on the edge of her bed Rogue picked up the smaller box and cracked the tape. Lifting the lid, she found herself staring at silk. Lifting it from the box, she found it was a long, spaghetti strap dress, with slits on either side that looked like they'd run clear up to her thighs. Her eyes turned to her mother, startled. "Why?"

"Because you deserve something beautiful to wear tonight," was the only answer Raven could voice, knowing that now was not the time to get too deep into the issues that lay between them.

More touched than she cared to admit, Rogue laid the dress aside, having noticed there was something else in the clothing box. Lifting it out, she found it to be an over-slip for the dress, made of extra soft black lace that held a deep emerald shimmer from threads woven into it. Under it all was a pair of very expensive black silk undergarments, including a strapless bra to ensure the cleanest look with her new dress. "Ah don't know what t' say," Rogue admitted. "Its...too much."

"No," Raven said, disappointment coloring her tone and expression. "Its not nearly enough." At Rogue's confused look, she elaborated. "Oh darling," she murmured, her expression far more tender than anyone at the mansion had likely ever seen. "I've never done what I should've for you and your brother," she admitted. "Though perhaps your brother got the better deal...having two people adopt him who loved him and could show it easily."

An idea occurred to Rogue, and while she was sure the others would think she had lost her mind, at that moment, she was absolutely certain it was the right thing to do. "Come with meh."

Raven stared at her daughter for a long moment. "What?"

"Ah said come with meh...t' Muir Island," she replied, turning to face Raven more completely. "Stay there with meh for a while." Her heart pounded in her chest as she awaited an answer. She barely could stand the woman who had adopted her most times, it was true, but something in her head and heart wouldn't let her retract the request, a niggling feeling telling her that there was a very deep secret between the two that needed revealed.

Voice shaky, Raven nodded. "Alright." Slowly, unsure of how Rogue would react, she reached for the daughter she had failed so miserably. When she didn't pull away, the shape-shifter wrapped her arms around her and for the first time since Rogue was a small child, hugged her. Feeling Rogue's arms return the embrace, it was all she could do to keep herself together. She had come to Xavier's seeking redemption, and a chance to start over with the children she had abandoned so long ago. Perhaps such dreams weren't too far out of reach after all.

**Living Room, 3:57 PM – 3 minutes to party's start -**

"Where is she?" Kitty asked, looking up the stairs. She and the other girls were waiting for Rogue before they all headed into the back yard where the boys and adults were waiting. As Kitty smoothed her pale blue knee-length skirt, she thought briefly on what she had seen down in the med-lab. She wasn't sure why Rogue and Scott were hiding their relationship, but having seen the way they were together, she decided to keep it to herself. Though she was definitely going to talk to Rogue at her first opportunity.

"I'm sure she'll be down soon," Jean answered from her seat in a lounge chair. After her break earlier, she had been ordered to take it easy that evening.

Just as Kitty was about to say something else, a voice at the top of the stairs caught their attention. "You girls are so impatient," Mystique said as she made her way down. For the evening, she had abandoned her usual blue skin and red hair for a lightly tanned skin tone, blonde hair and blue-green eyes, and wore a simple pair of soft green slacks with a white silk sleeveless top. As she got to the bottom step, she let her eyes stay focused on the girls as Rogue appeared at the upper landing.

After talking to her mother for a good while, Rogue had donned the black silk slip-dress, and its lace overlay. The larger box Raven had brought turned out to contain a pair of expensive black leather thigh-high boots, with a decent height heel on them, which completed the ensemble. At her neck, the choker from Scott gleamed dimly in the light, while on her wrist, the bracelet shimmered, those two pieces the only jewelry she wore tonight. Having taken her mother's advice, she had also changed up her make-up. Still applying her eye liner in its usual thick cats-eye way, she had ditched the purple eyeshadow in favor of a mix of earth tones that shimmered against her skin. Also gone was the purple lipstick, replaced with a deep red shade that accented her pale skin perfectly. All in all, she looked every bit a stunning Gothic Princess; dark, deadly and absolutely sinful.

The other girls seemed stunned into silence, and realized that no matter the effort they had put into their own appearances tonight, Rogue's dark beauty overshadowed them all. That's not to say they weren't looking beautiful themselves, however. Kitty's pale blue skirt was paired with a white cotton spaghetti strap top and matching blue lightweight sweater, making an ensemble that accented her slim, young form while still allowing her to look quite fetching. Amara had pulled out an old dress of hers from her days in Nova Roma, a ghost flamed pattern wrap that was trimmed in gold, and set off her dark tan and dark hair perfectly. Jubilee had donned a sundress that was patterned in a mix of her favorite shade of yellow and white, keeping it from being quite so overwhelming, and styled her normally straight hair into a fancy ponytail. In the past, Tabby's dress choice for a party had been so outrageous that tonight, the other girls had banded together and helped the blonde find something much more appropriate. With her blonde hair falling in loose waves just past her chin, and a knee-length dress in a soft corral shade, she looked so different from normal, but in the best way possible.

Standing from the lounge chair, Jean smoothed out her own slip-dress in beige, smiling. "Wow," she said, voicing what all the girls were thinking.

From near the doorway that led to the kitchen, Wanda smiled. While it had been annoying, she had chosen to dress in Kitty and Jean's room with the other girls, allowing Rogue a bit of privacy before the party. Her own dress was the same length as Rogue's, but was in her normal shade of red, complimenting her dark hair and fair skin that was starting to show the beginnings of a tan. Letting out a wolf whistle, she gained her friend's attention. "Damn," she muttered, moving from the doorway. "Planning on giving the boys a heart-attack are we?" she teased, echoing her sentiment from the day before.

A light blush stained Rogue's cheeks, making the girls realize that she had gone without her normal base makeup. "Well, Ah dunno about that," Rogue murmured as she made her way down the stairs. As she took one of the steps, Kitty noticed that both the lace and the dress underneath were slit clear up to mid-thigh, and gasped. Even with the boots, which actually hit just above Rogue's knees, 3-4 inches of those toned legs was 'bared.'

"You, like, sure?" she asked, blue eyes locking with Rogue's green.

Realizing what Kitty had seen, Rogue glanced down at her legs as the dress parted with her step again. "Ah think its fine," she said, her eyes turning back to the other girls as she made it to the bottom step. "Ah was showin' more leg than that yesterday," she admitted.

"What?!" came Tabby's voice, surprise written all over her face.

Wanda laughed dryly. "She about made Scott's eyes fall out of his head," she told the girls, her eyes still on Rogue. "Was in a pair of denim cut-off shorts that hit about where that slit ends and a tank top."

Before the girls could say anything else, Rogue moved for the door to the back yard, eager to end this conversation. As she passed Wanda, she glared at her. "Traitor," she whispered, grabbing the girl by the arm. "How about we take this outside, hmm?" she said at her normal level, forcing a smile. "Ah do believe there's a party out theah," she reminded them.

"You wore cut-offs?" Jubilee asked, even as the girls made their way to the door too.

Heaving a sigh, Rogue turned to face them, her back now to the door. "Yeah, Ah did. It was supposed t' be a nice day out, so what? Meh wearin' cut offs means somethin?" she asked, her tone cold.

Recognizing the tone, Kitty moved forward and touched her friend on the arm. "Like, of course not," Kitty took a second to glare at Jubilee. "We're, like, just surprised. I totally didn't know you, like, even had any shorts when you moved in."

Turning to open the door to the yard, Rogue sighed again. " Look, c'n we just drop it?" she asked.

Jubilee, Amara and Tabby shared a look, not sure what to make of the way Rogue was avoiding the topic. There was definitely more going on than Rogue wanted them to know. Now it was just a matter of finding out what it was she didn't want them aware of. Kitty on the other hand smiled. "Of course we, like, totally can." After shooting the younger girls a pointed look, Kitty moved between Rogue and the door. "Now...let us go out first, okay?" she said to Rogue.

Curious, Rogue tilted her head a bit. "Any particular reason why?"

Laughing, Kitty replied, "Because I want to see the guys' reaction to you!"

**Xavier Mansion, Pool area, PARTY TIME! (4PM)-**

Outside by the pool, the boys and adults were admiring the party they had put together. Off to one side of the pool, the Karaoke machine was set up and ready for use, while next to it (to avoid running multiple extension cords) a massive stereo was already playing the CD collection Rogue and Kitty had put together. Near the door to the kitchen, Ororo and Logan had prepared a feast of a buffet, complete with many of Rogue's favorites. The younger boys were gathered together off to one side, arguing about some new video game, while the Brotherhood boys and St. John were seated at one of the tables, talking about a prank they had recently pulled on Bobby. His hair was still green, with no one having found a way to remove the dye. Remy and Piotr were having a quiet conversation on the other side of the pool about goodness only knows what, leaving Scott to stand off by himself.

When the back door opened, a few of the boys turned to look, and smiled or waved at the girls they were most fond of. Once all of the girls were outside, it seemed like they were waiting for something, confusing the boys until they realized there was one last girl left...the guest of honor.

Taking a deep breath, Rogue stepped out into the pool area, gently closing the door behind her. Turning to completely face those outside, she found herself the subject of many pairs of eyes. "Uh...Hey..." she murmured, suddenly feeling shy.

Scott felt his breath catch when his eyes settled on his angel. _Oh God, _he thought, eyes wide behind his ruby-quartz glasses. _She is so beautiful._ He noted with no small about of pleasure that she was wearing the jewelry he'd given her, and fought the urge to smile. As his eyes roved over her, he was surprised to notice the semi-sheer black scarf she had used earlier to kiss him tucked into one of those black boots. He couldn't help but smirk as he realized she wouldn't have put it there if she didn't intend to use it at some point tonight. Oh, but she was a devious one, his Rogue.

Over at the stereo, where he had moved to after finishing his conversation with Piotr, Remy's eyes were fixed on the Gothic Princess with a burning intensity. _Boy-Scout don' know how lucky he is, _Remy mused, as he too noted the scarf tucked into Rogue's boot. _Seems de boy gonna get lucky 'gain, t'ough, _he thought jealously. _Chanceux baise bâtard.__ (Lucky fucking bastard.)_

As the others slowly recovered from the shock of Rogue's appearance, they began to make their way over, but for once remembered to be thoughtful of the fact Rogue hated being crowded. They complimented her dress, went on and on about how they'd miss her, and when tears formed in those shimmering green eyes, they apologized for making her cry. Finally, the Professor moved closer and cleared his throat. Once he had their attention, he reminded them the party was only just starting, and they had hours yet to spend with Rogue, there was no need to all do so at once.

When they quit standing around, and finally let Rogue move away from the door, she found herself face to face with her favorite Cajun. "Well now, Ah was wonderin' where ya were t'day, sugah," she told him, even as she let him guide her over to a table. Sitting down, she graced him with a smile. "What ya been up to?"

Pulling a chair closer to her, he too sat down. "Was startin' packin," he said, even as he ran a finger over her 'bare' arm. "Ya know...ya look damn good, Chere..." His voice was low, seductive. Sure, she and the Boy-Scout had confessed their feelings, but that didn't mean he couldn't shake things up a bit.

"Remy," she drawled. "Ya know bettah than t' bothah usin' that tone with meh..."

Smirking, he gave a one armed shrug. "Wort' a try, non?"

"Ya just wanna piss Scott off," she pointed out, knowing him far too well to fall for his charms any more.

Giving an exaggerated sigh, he grinned at her. "Course..." He reached out, grabbing her hand to give it a kiss. "An' flirtin' wit' you is de best way t' do dat..." Out of the corner of his eye, he could tell that Scott's attention to whatever Kurt and Kitty were telling him was definitely wavering. "Ya wanna let me really get de homme pissed off?" he teased.

"Remy," she sighed, but found the idea of getting her lover wound up did appeal. She knew it may not be the brightest idea, but she always had loved teasing him.

Sensing her about to give in, he leaned forward. "C'mon, Chere. Help me put on a show fo' dese folks?"

"Ya crazy, ya know," she pointed out, but smiled anyhow.

"So are ya," he reminded her, grinning wider. "B'sides, I'd love not'in more dan t' at least get a proper kiss b'fore ya go..."

Emerald eyes widened. "Oh no, no, no." She managed to glare at him after a moment. "Ya want him t' blast ya t' N'Awlins?" she asked.

Laughing, Remy reached out, tucking a strand of auburn hair behind her ear, his skin barely brushing hers. But with her powers the way they currently were, he managed to pull his fingers away just as the pull started, thus she only got a few surface thoughts, the primary of which had her ducking her head as a brilliant blush colored her face and neck. "Desole," he apologized, even as he thanked whatever God there might be that his powers constant energy generation allowed him to not slip into a coma with the slightest touch. Noting the blush, he leaned towards her again. "Ya okay dere, mon amour?"

Rogue looked up at him finally, her eyes slowly changing from a green-on-black version of his back to the emerald green they should be. "Ah'm fine," she assured him. "But ya best get yo' mind outta th' guttah."

"Can't do dat, ma belle...ya look good 'nough t' eat..."

"Am I interrupting?" a familiar voice asked, and Rogue smiled up at her lover, even as Remy grumbled.

"Ah think in this case, ya forgiven," Rogue replied, allowing her hand to slide into Scott's as he helped her out of the chair. "Maybe we'd best give th' Cajun a few minutes t' cool off," she added, a mischievous smile on her lips as she glanced at Remy. After glancing to make sure they weren't being watched too closely, she leaned up and stage whispered to Scott, "Silly boy had this crazy notion he might get a kiss..."

As she leaned up, her body brushed against Scott's arm, and he had to squeeze his eyes shut as he felt a jolt of heat that shamed what he'd felt the day before. If the woman wasn't careful, she'd end up missing the party...and he'd feel no guilt over it, either. Taking a steadying breath, he turned his head to her. "Is that so?"

"Mmhmm," Rogue replied. Now she did whisper for real, her lips very near Scott's ear. "What would ya do if Ah had kissed him?"

His eyes narrowed behind the sunglasses. "Blasted his ass to New Orleans," he told her, keeping his voice light, but with an edge of steel behind it that had Remy surprised.

Well, he'd had his fun, Remy decided. And gotten Scott off his lazy arse to pay attention to his woman at the same time, which was nearly as much reward as the emotions he could feel from them both. Lord, the two had something special. He had never thought he'd be a match-maker, and especially not for his darling Rogue, who he had intended to have for himself all along. But she was happier than Remy had ever felt from her, now that Scott had made his move. Even a Casanova like himself didn't enjoy butting in on true love.

From the other side of the pool, the trio (Amara, Jubilee and Tabby) watched Rogue's interactions with both boys closely. As Remy left Rogue alone with Scott, their eyes narrowed. Rogue had definitely been flirting to some degree with the Cajun, and lets face it, he'd flirt with just about anything female as long as she wasn't jail bait. But unlike they had seen before between the two Southerners, something was missing this time...a spark of interest on Rogue's part. Suddenly, as they watched Rogue turn to Scott, it became clear why Rogue had lost interest in Remy. Now, Rogue had always had a certain way she looked at the leader of the X-men...a mix of longing and resentment that mystified nearly everyone in its intensity, because how could she want him so bad, but resent him at the same time? Surely that resentment should've been squarely directed at Jean, right?

The way Rogue was looking at Scott now though, was very different. Oh, the longing was still there, but with it was a much stronger emotion that was most definitely _not _resentment. And if the way Scott was smiling at the Goth was any indication, had they been able to see his eyes, he'd be looking at her in exactly the same fashion. There was something else there in their shared look though, an underlying heat that, though they were no where near the two, left the three girls feeling breathless. Was it suddenly warmer outside?

"Oh...My...GOD," Tabby whispered, looking at the other two girls. "He...she...they..." she stumbled over the words, so great was her shock.

"You don't think they really...?" Amara asked, she the most sheltered of the three.

Jubilee snorted, and discretely pointed to a mark on Rogue's collarbone that was visible at the neckline of the lace. "I doubt she got that playing Racquetball," she said softly. "That looks a hell of a lot like a hickey, even from here..."

Tabby shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe Scooter actually had it in him..."

Jubilee bit back a laugh. "I think it was Rogue who had _it _in her, if you know what I mean."

Amara blushed vividly at the two girls lewd comments, even as she watched how Rogue and Scott continued to speak. "Well...either way, its obvious its more than..._that," _she pointed out, even as Scott ghosted a hand along Rogue's arm, making the Goth girl smile shyly at him.

Tabby frowned for a moment, then looked back to Jubilee and Amara, surprised yet again. "Do you think maybe they...ya know...love each other?" she asked.

Considering the couple in question, Jubilee nodded after a moment. "Could be," she admitted. "He certainly never looked at Jean like that," she added.

As the three girls continued to dissect the interactions between Scott and Rogue, they watched as Remy interrupted them, dragging Rogue out to the 'dance floor' while one of the newest Alabama songs, "The Woman He Loves" ((CD: When It All Goes South)) played from one of the many CDs in the stereo. For the next half hour, Rogue was kept on the dance floor by Remy and some of the other boys, namely Bobby, who had at one point had a crush on Rogue. Finally, she begged off as Ray tried to claim her for a dance to an N*sync song, claiming her feet needed a break, and she needed a drink. Almost at once, Kurt was at his sister's side, a can of her favorite soda, Dr. Pepper, in hand. After smiling broadly at her brother, the two sat down at a table with Logan and Ororo, with Kurt pulling up an extra chair so Rogue could rest her feet in it.

Though he knew it was silly, Kurt was keeping an extra close eye on his sister that evening. Having seen how badly she was hurt earlier than afternoon, it had sparked his protective instincts, and while he knew full well she was completely healed thanks to Logan's healing factor, he still wanted to ensure she was enjoying herself without over doing it. When she made mention of thinking of grabbing some food, Kurt was on his feet almost instantly, ready to get it for her.

Rogue smiled gently at him, even as she placed a hand on his arm. "Ah c'n get it mahself, Kurt," she told him, keeping her tone light so he knew she wasn't upset with him. Standing, she paused to give him a brief hug. "But ya sweet fo' offerin,"

Realizing he was going overboard, Kurt nodded shyly. "Sorry, meine Schwester," he apologized. "I just..."

Cutting him off, she shook her head. "Its okay, sugah," she assured him. "Ah know. Ah'd be th' same way had it been you."

Relieved that she understood, Kurt glanced over at the food and felt his stomach rumble. "But perhaps I'll go vith you," he said, smiling. "Zat food looks gut." (good)

Linking her arm with her brother's, Rogue made her way over to the food table, only to be accosted by Kitty when she was a few feet away. "Kitty!" Rogue exclaimed, surprised as Kitty dragged her away from both the food and her brother. "What in th' hell?"

"We, like, need to talk," was Kitty's only reply as she pulled Rogue off to a secluded area just out of sight of most of the pool.

Curious about what on earth was so important Kitty would drag her away from the party, Rogue allowed it, then gave the brunette a pointed look. "So...what is so damned important?" she drawled.

"Well...um...I like...sort of saw you and Scott earlier," Kitty said, her blue eyes and careful tone expressing how much she hoped Rogue wouldn't get upset.

Rogue felt her heart stop for a moment. "What? When?" She tried to keep any of her sudden distress from showing, but was sure she failed miserably. If Kitty knew, then it was likely the entire mansion would before the party was over.

"When you were in the med-lab...I, like, came down to see how you were. But when I looked in, like, Scott had just finished, like, taking the bandage off of your back." She paused, and noticed the way Rogue's eyes widened in distress. "I haven't, like, told anyone!" she insisted, hoping to placate her friend. "I mean, if you hadn't, like, even told me you and he were, like, together, I figured you totally wouldn't want anyone else to know."

Rogue let out a sigh of relief, then hugged Kitty. "Ah'm sorry Ah didn't, but...well... we only really admitted how we feel yesterday," she said, even as she began to fiddle with a blossom on a nearby flowering bush. A faint smile crossed her lips as she remembered how Scott had been so gentle with her, despite the obvious passion between them.

Seeing the smile, something finally clicked in Kitty's mind; the way Rogue had been so casual about kissing Scott while being (for all intent and purpose) naked from the waist up in the med lab, the hickey Rogue had done a poor job of covering before dressing, the two added up to something that left Kitty staring at her friend. "You..._that's _why you were gone so long!" she whispered, clearly startled.

Confused by Kitty's tone, Rogue tilted her head. "What's why we were gone so long?"

Kitty rolled her eyes. "You two did _it_!" she said, obviously feeling she shouldn't have to elaborate.

Amazed the girl had figured it out so quickly, Rogue stared, her mouth falling open. "Ah...how...how did ya come t' that conclusion?" she asked, wanting to know what made it so obvious.

"Well for one," Kitty said with a grin, "That's like the poorest job ever to, like, cover a hickey," she pointed to the mark on Rogue's collarbone. "And for, like, two, when I saw you two in the med lab, like, you didn't seem too worried about, like, making out with him with no shirt on."

Grimacing, Rogue glanced down to realize exactly how visible the hickey really was. "Oh Gawd," she murmured. "Ah thought it was covahed," she admitted. Thankful that was the only part the others would see that might hint at what she and Scott had done the day before, she sighed. "Okay, so ya figured it out..."

Kitty seemed surprised she had confirmed it, then smiled. "So...what was it like?" she asked. Though the surprise of Rogue being that close to someone was still there, she was happy for Rogue too. As long as the girl had pined away after Scott, it was nice to think that she would finally get a chance to be with him, and experience a real relationship with someone who could understand all the burdens that came with Rogue's power.

That faint smile from before reappeared, and her eyes seemed distant, an instant clue to Kitty as to how it had been. "Was perfect," Rogue murmured, then glanced at Kitty. "Absolutely perfect."

Rogue's words were enough for Kitty, and she hugged her friend tightly. "I'm, like, so happy for you." Pulling back, Kitty had one last question for the Goth. "But...like...why don't you want anyone else to, like, know?"

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Considah everythin' Kit," she said. "He _just _broke up with Jean, Ah'm leavin' fo' anothah country, an' far as anyone else knows, any feelin's he has for meh are a recent development..."

When Rogue paused, Kitty frowned. "Wait, like, how long _has _he liked you, if it isn't recent?"

"Long as Ah've liked him."

If it was physically possible, Kitty's jaw would've been on the ground. "What?!" she exclaimed, but had the sense to keep her volume to a whisper.

"That's what Ah thought," Rogue murmured. "But its true," she tapped her head to show how she knew.

"Sorry, but, like, you still haven't said why you, like won't tell anyone."

"Had ya not seen him an' meh t'gethah earliah, what woulda been yo' first reaction t' meh sayin' he an' Ah were t'gethah? An' if ya didn't know meh bettah than most o' th' othahs."

Realizing where Rogue was going, Kitty sighed. "Ok, so like the others would totally freak out and like, think you had stole him from Jean...well...like, the younger ones would. Kurt and Evan would like totally know better," she assured her friend.

Sighing, Rogue glanced back out in the direction of the party as she heard her brother call for her. "Look...Ah know ya' a romantic at heart, Kit, an' its somethin' Ah envy in ya," her green eyes turned to the petite girl. "But fo' now...Ah need ya t' keep this between us. Ah mean...Lawd only knows what's gonna happen between now an' whenevah Ah get t' come home."

"Are you, like, doubting how you or Scott feel?" Kitty asked, surprised.

"Not at all," Rogue said, shaking her head. "But fact is, Kit...he an' Ah are a lot more messed up in th' head than any o' ya'll know. Been through a hell o' a lot...both o' us...havin' a long distance relationship is hard enough when th' two people involved ain't so messed up."

Kitty sighed. "Like, if you say so. I'll keep the secret, but like...you shouldn't be so negative."

"Rogue?" Kurt called from closer this time.

"Ovah heah, Kurt," she called back to him, and after a moment's hesitation hugged Kitty again. "Thanks, Kit," she told her friend, earning a smile. "An' Ah'll work on the negativity thing," she only half teased.

Kurt came into view just then, and gave his sister a broad smile that showed off his teeth. "Zhere you are!" he said happily, casting a brief curious glance in Kitty's direction. When the brunette only shook her head in response, he linked his arm with Rogue's again. "Zhe ozhers are vanting you to show zhem vhy you vanted zhat Karaoke machine," he told her, even as he offered his other arm to Kitty, a rare show of his gentlemanly manners.

Kitty's blue eyes sparkled and her excitement went up a notch. "Ohh, like, definitely!" she bubbled. "I was totally wondering why you, like, wanted the thing so bad."

The excitement of her brother and best friend was catching, and had Rogue allowing a bright but toothless smile to grace her lips. "If ya'll insist," she said as Kurt led them back to the pool area. Her eyes immediately sought her lover, and she was surprised to find his had already found her. She was a bit surprised to find him talking to Remy, but had always thought if they could move past their surface issues with each other, they could be decent friends. Kurt turned them towards the Karaoke machine, and it didn't take long for people to realize it either. Within seconds the New Mutants were moving over as well, with the adults and others following behind.

"Vhat vill you sing?" Kurt asked her as Rogue glanced through the list of songs Kitty had put in.

"Kitty's gonna choose for me," Rogue said, smiling.

"Like, I am?" The brunette was very surprised at Rogue's comment, as was everyone else who had gathered around.

"Course," Rogue replied, that bright, toothless smile in place again.

"Okay..." Kitty said slowly, moving to stand shoulder to shoulder with Rogue. She flipped through a few pages of song titles before pointing to one that she thought that Rogue might know. "How about that one?" she asked.

The bright smile became a grin, and Rogue's green eyes positively sparkled. "Perfect."

Kitty and Kurt moved off to stand near the other 'original' X-men, and watched as Rogue got the song set up. It took her a few moments, but finally she took the few steps to stand in front of the mic.

Rogue took a deep breath as the opening strains of K.D. Lang's "Constant Craving" began to play, and a few were startled when she completely ignored the little screen with the lyrics. Instead, she counted out in her head, and right on time, began to sing. That was when the magic began. Her voice was clear, strong and stunning, with no audible traces of her usual Southern drawl; a voice worthy of any stage in the world. The song was one that could so suit the Goth girl, and as she sang, those gathered couldn't help but notice the way her green eyes flickered to the ruby covered gaze of her long-time crush. When the song faded away, no one could seem to move a muscle lest they ruin the moment. After taking a moment to gather her courage, Rogue cleared her throat, causing the dazed looks many of her 'family' sported to clear.

"Ah dunno how many o' ya'll remembah me sayin' Ah had a surprise Ah was workin' on," she began, causing some to start whispering. "Ya see...Ah don' just sing..."

Now they began to exchange confused glances, wondering what else they had missed about the girl.

"Ah write songs too," Rogue said, and again everyone went quiet and still, shocked. "Ah've been workin' on a few in particular, ones Ah really wanted ya'll t' heah." A shy smile curved those deep red lips before being replaced with a slightly worried look. "But...with one of em in particular, ya have t' undahstand...Song writing, its how Ah cope with some of th' stuff that's happened," she said, and a look of understanding passed over most of the others. "So...yeah...just...remembah that," she murmured. A few minutes of fiddling with the machine again had a new song beginning to play, and she resumed her place at the microphone.

((A/N: I'd recommend either getting lyrics for, or YouTubing the following songs so you can follow better as you read: P!nk - "Whataya Want From Me", Evanescence - "Snow White Queen", and Halestorm - "Better Sorry Than Safe." As well as "Get it Right" - Glee version. Odd combo, but the ones I see being best. Those are the 4 songs that Rogue 'wrote' for purposes of this story, and she will sing them in that order. Stupid and its rules about lyrics in stories, this would read better if I could put the lyrics in.))

As the music started this time, it had a vaguely pop sound, and they only had to wait a few seconds before Rogue began to sing. Her voice was a bit deeper this time, more emotional, and as she looked at them, they were surprised to see tears glistening in her eyes. Once the lyrics began to register with them, a few of them also began to feel tears in their eyes, especially as she sang the Chorus...

"Just don't give up I'm workin it out  
Please don't give in, I won't let you down  
He messed me up, need a second to breathe  
Just keep coming around  
Hey, whataya want from me  
Whataya want from me  
Whataya want from me"

Suddenly, the adults almost felt bad for pushing her so hard following everything the girl had suffered during their struggle with Apocalypse, especially when she looked at them as she sang that second line. Finally, the song came to a conclusion, and Rogue only had to wait a few seconds before the next one began. Only moments passed before Rogue began to sing, her voice lower, huskier. It only took the first few lines for them to realize how deeply personal this song was to her, and that this had to be the one she was worried about their reaction to. A haunted look filled those green eyes of hers, and the emotional torment the song was about had never been more clear in her expression.

Both Jean and the Professor found the girl's mind open to them, and were startled by the images and thoughts the song provoked in her. For the first time, her 'family' was getting a clear picture of how deeply her powers really had scarred her, and it shook them all to the core. As the lines "I'm loosing my mind, and you just stand there and stare as my world divides" were sung, it was rather like a punch to the stomach of the X-men in particular, leaving them wondering how long prior to her power surge the poor thing had been suffering without them even noticing. But as she finished the song, she gave them a shaky smile, her attempt to reassure them. The song and its implications were not something they would forget any time soon, but they returned her smile anyhow, knowing tonight was not the time to dwell on how bad they might have failed her in the past.

Before the third song began, Rogue took a moment to breath, and smiled at her brother when he ported her over a bottle of water. After a quick drink, she sighed. "This one is th' one Ah've had th' least amount of time workin' on," she told them, not quite meeting their eyes as shyness set in again. When she sang, to her it was as if nothing could touch her, but it was the silence in between that had left her shy even as a child in the talent shows Irene had put her in. "So Ah'm not quite sure it sounds like what Ah wanted it to...but..."

Curious, Kitty asked, "How long have you, like, been working on it?"

"Ah've had parts of it in mah head for ages," she admitted, a hand coming to play with her bangs in her usual nervous habit. "But Ah only really did anythin' with it this past week."

"When have you had time to do anything this week?" Lance asked from his spot next to Kitty. "You've been running your ass off."

Rogue sighed. "Ah don't exactly sleep much," she replied, ignoring the way the Professor and Hank looked at her. "Anyhow..." she said, turning back to the machine and preparing the next two songs she had.

Everyone fell silent again, and listened as she started to sing. Despite the fact it was a song about her leaving, the obvious hope inspired by the lyric about knowing there was something waiting had a faint smile on a few faces. It was very well done, and they were surprised that she had only been working on it properly for a week. But then, that just showed how talented she really was.

Again it was only a matter of seconds before the next song began, once the third was over, and this time it was a piano-driven pop ballad, surprising them since it was so different from Rogue's usual preference. The lyrics themselves were a surprise as well, showing them a much more vulnerable side to the girl they all thought they knew. But each of the songs had shown them a different facet of her personality, and it began to sink in to them how little they knew of her. It wasn't from a lack of curiosity, mind you, you couldn't look at Rogue and not wonder what might have shaped the Southern Goth, yet she could be so harsh at times it was off-putting to most of them. As the song ended, Rogue turned off the Karaoke machine, and turned back to them for a final reaction.

"Chere," Remy said slowly, drawing out each bit of his favorite name for her. "When ya told dis Cajun ya sang, ya never said ya sang better dan any angel."

"Like, when did you tell him you sang?" Kitty asked, off-put by this bit of information.

"Ah mentioned t' him in passin' Ah lahked t' sing along with th' radio," Rogue said, instantly placating her friend.

From his seat, Rogue could feel Scott watching her intently. He wanted so bad to go to her, sweep her up and rave about how beautiful all of her was, especially that voice of hers. Her sweet Southern drawl had always given Scott a warm feeling that no other voice could, despite the way it became more 'back woods' when she was angry. Instead of going to her as he wanted, he contented himself with watching her, knowing she could feel the pure heat in his gaze. Okay, so if he was being honest, her voice did more than just give him a warm feeling, especially when it took on that low, husky quality, but that was beside the point at the moment. It wasn't like he could carry her off with everyone watching. Damn it, he was going to have to get a hold of his damn hormones before he got anywhere near her.

Slowly the others began to comment on Rogue's songs or her voice, and were nothing but complimentary. As if it was an unspoken rule, they avoided touching on the topics of the songs lest the mood not recover and the party be ruined. The stereo was turned on, and as music began again, it seemed like after Rogue's performance, no one else would dare touch the Karaoke machine. No sense embarrassing themselves after all. After ten or so minutes, Kurt pulled his sister out to dance to Beyonce's newest single, 'Crazy In Love,' as much to have a few minutes with her as to get her away from the others since he could see her fingers moving against her leg, another of her nervous habits.

"I feel like I barely know you," he told his sister, smiling at her. "Vhat else do I not know about you?"

A sad look passed through Rogue's eyes, a look he barely caught, even as she considered his question. If only he knew, she mused, but now was certainly not the time to tell him. "Um, that Ah also play guitar?" she asked, uncertain if that was something about her he knew. Some people at the mansion did, and it was hard to keep straight who knew what sometimes.

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Zhat I knew," he informed her. "Vhat about your real name?" he asked, knowing it was a burning question that no one at the mansion knew.

Rogue stopped dancing when he asked, and she sighed, realizing she couldn't not tell him before she left. If he didn't know, their attempts to keep their sibling relationship growing would die out, and he would always be left not able to figure out why. Linking their arms, she led him to a table that was set up out of the way and a good distance from the others. "We need t' have a chat," she said, her tone wary.

"Vhy?" he questioned, but didn't struggle against her. When they were at the table, he sat down to face her, realizing this was important.

Once she had sat, she purposely ignored the way some of the others were watching them in curiosity, and focused solely on her brother. "Kurt, what Ah need t' tell you...it needs t' stay between us," she said softly. "Th' adults already know, an' so does Scott, but...that's all," she added. "An' Ah'd prefer it stayed that way fo' now."

"If zhat's vhat you vant," he replied, golden eyes locked on his sister's green. Reaching out, he placed one of his hands on her arm. "You can tell me anyzhing, meine Schwester."

"Ah know." Taking a deep breath, Rogue finally let her brother in on what was possibly her biggest secret. "Kurt...Ah don't even know my real name."

"Vhat?" he asked, startled. "How can you...?" He paused, then at the look on her face, a part of the answer clicked. "Your powers?"

"Th' Professah thinks so," she said with a nod. "Ah have absolutely no memories b'fore age four," she told him. "Now, its normal for a person not t' actively remembah that age, but undah normal circumstances, a telepath lahke th' Professah c'n still find those memories if they look for em. That ain't th' case with meh. An' what's even strangah, is that there aren't any copies o' mah birth certificate...an' Ah mean anywhere. All Mystique has is adoption papahs that call meh 'Rogue,' even at four yeahs old."

Realizing how odd it would be for a parent to call their child 'Rogue,' Kurt could see why this was an issue for his sister. To have no way to find out who your birth parents were, or even your own name? Hell, for all anyone knew, perhaps even her age was wrong. "Vhat about your birthday?" he asked, now that he had thought of it.

"The Professah and Mystique have checked inta that. There's no records anywhere that c'n be found t' prove mah birthday is right eithah...so...needless t' say, anythin' from b'fore Ah lived with Irene is...well...sketchy at best."

Finally understanding why she had wanted to share this with him, he gave her arm a squeeze. "Ve'll find out some day," he assured her. "But it doesn't change zhe fact zhat you're meine Schwester, or zhat I love you."

It was the first time Kurt had told her he loved her, and it was enough to make tears form in her eyes. "Aww, Kurt," she murmured, leaning forward to capture him in a tight hug. "Ah love ya too, lil' brothah..."

His own eyes suddenly suspiciously damp, Kurt returned the hug. "Ich werde dich vermissen, mein Liebling Schwester. Ich vermisse dich sehr," he whispered at her ear, not caring if she understood or not. (I will miss you, my darling sister. I will miss you very much.)

She was able to pick out a couple of words, but could guess at what he was saying anyhow given how choked up he suddenly was. "Ah'll miss ya too," she replied.

It was a long moment before the siblings parted, and when they did, both had to wipe at their eyes to rid themselves of the tears, with Rogue being much more delicate about it of course. Their heart to heart over, the two rose and slowly made their way back into the party, with Kurt finally getting himself something to eat, while Rogue headed towards the table where Jean was sitting and talking with Ororo. The two ladies smiled at her as she approached, and Ororo gestured to an open chair in invitation. "How are you enjoying your party?" she asked as Rogue lowered herself into the chair.

"Its been good," the Goth assured her. "But Ah swear th' next person t' make meh cry is gonna be cryin' too...mah makeup is probably startin' t' get all ovah mah face," she said with a laugh.

Jean gave a sympathetic smile. "I felt the same way at graduation," she said. "Thank god for water-proof mascara!"

"Amen," Rogue agreed, then gave Jean a serious look. "How are ya doin' Jeannie?"

"I'm okay, for now," Jean said. "The professor and I had a long talk after I woke up. I'll have to start training harder, and having more sessions with him so I don't loose control again." The red-head reached across the table to take one of Rogue's hands in her own, her expression full of apology. "I am so very sorry about earlier, Rogue...I never..."

"Ah know," Rogue reassured her, squeezing her hand. "Ah saw it all, remembah?" she said, tapping the side of her own head. "Ah just wish ya had said somethin' soonah." A mock glare was directed at the red-head, but she kept her tone light. "Didn't ya learn nothin' from what happened t' meh when mah powahs went all crazy? Ya gotta tell people, namely th' Professah what's goin' on in ya head so he c'n help."

Giving a brief laugh, Jean sighed. "I guess I didn't, did I?" she said rhetorically. "But I promise, I learned my lesson this time."

"Good," Ororo interjected, smiling at both girls. "Now why don't you two go do some more dancing?" she asked. "As much as I love your company, you're young, beautiful and have plenty of young men to choose from," she teased. "So go...have fun!"

"What about ya?" Rogue asked, raising an eyebrow. She had noticed the way Logan eyed the weather-witch, and the fact that Ororo seemed to watch Logan as well at times. "Ya gonna go drag Logan out t' dance?"

Startled, Ororo looked to Rogue. "What?"

A smirk crossed both girls' lips as Jean answered. "We've all noticed him looking at you lately. And a few of us have noticed you seem rather fond of him too."

"Well of course I'm fond of him," Ororo said, her normally level tone becoming a bit shaky and defensive. "He's an old and dear friend."

"Mmhmm," Rogue said, even as she stood up. "Which explains why when he thinks no one's lookin', he watches you as if you're prey and he's th' predatah," she added, amused. Leaving Ororo with that thought, Jean and Rogue went to find someone to dance with. While Rogue normally avoided dancing, she had decided that tonight she would. It was a party, and she was around people who she could trust to be careful and avoid her deadly skin. Looking at the possible parties, Jean headed to Alex, whom she had all but avoided since his arrival, intending to apologize for her rude behavior. Rogue on the other hand decided it was time a certain young mutant got a turn on the dance floor.

The look on Jamie's young face was priceless when Rogue informed him that he was the only one of the New Mutants who hadn't danced with her yet, and that just was plain unacceptable. Eager to please the girl he thought of as a big sister and mentor, Jamie made his best effort to dance to some random dance tune that had no lyrics, but the poor boy had no sense of rhythm. Laughing, Rogue spent the next two songs gently instructing him on how to listen to the music and its beat so that in the future, he'd at least be able to not look like a puppet with its strings being jerked around randomly. As the CD player paused while Kitty added a few new CD's that Wanda brought her, Scott made his way on to the dance floor and straight for his Rogue.

Placing a hand on Jamie's shoulder, he smiled at the younger boy. "Mind if I cut in for a song or two Jamie?" he asked pleasantly.

Smiling, though some disappointment was clear in his expression, Jamie shook his head. "Na," was his reply, and he scuffed a shoe along the ground. "I'm kinda not getting it anyway," he muttered.

Rogue gave a light laugh and ruffled the kid's hair. "Ya did fine, Jamie," she assured him. "Ya just need t' work at it."

"I will," Jamie said, giving her one last smile. "Thanks Miss Rogue," he added, having picked up on Sam's way of addressing her.

"Go on, Kiddo," Rogue told him, giving him a gentle push.

As Jamie ran off towards the drinks, Scott smiled down at Rogue. His hands itched to touch her, but with no music playing it would definitely draw more notice. "You know, you shocked the hell out of me when you actually sang tonight," he murmured, eyebrows raised above his sunglasses.

"Mm," she replied, a smile curving her lips. "Well, Ah wondah how shocked they'd all be t' know ya ain't s' bad yaself at singin'," she added, even as she noticed Kitty about to start the music up again.

Having noticed the same, Scott readied himself to dance to whatever came on, even as he responded to Rogue. "Probably knock them over with a feather," he joked.

"Probably," she agreed.

As the music started, Scott realized he might have made a mistake coming to ask her to dance. It was an old BeeGees song from Saturday Night Fever, one movie that he and Rogue were the only fans of out of all the mansion. And of course it had to be the love song, "More Than a Woman." There was no backing out now though, and as he pulled her closer, he was surprised by the look she gave him. No one could look at her expression and not realize something had changed between them.

Noticing his expression as well, Rogue leaned closer to whisper to him. "We've already been found out," she told him. "Kitty an' Jean have both asked meh about us, an' from th' way Jubes, Amara and Tabby have been watchin' us, they figured somethin's up too." As he twirled her, she watched his expression change, and could feel the sudden heat of it sure as if she had touched a hot stove. "So Ah figure why not enjoy ourselves?" she asked when he was holding her close again and moving to the beat. "Lawd knows Ah'll take any seconds we can have."

He gave a silent nod of agreement, even as he pulled her closer than was proper for friends to dance, noting the looks on the faces of the Brotherhood as he did so. But his gaze immediately turned back to the angel in his arms as he spun her again, then pulled her back so that she was facing away from him as they danced. Leaning his head down, he rested his chin near her ear, ever careful of the bared skin. "You are so beautiful, hun," he told her, and could see the way her smile changed. "I wish we could do this all night."

Glancing over her shoulder at him, there was no way anyone watching them could miss the sudden flare of heat in her gaze, much less misinterpret it. There was no need for her to say anything. That look told him quite plainly what she would have them do all night, and with the way his hormones were, she was lucky he didn't take her up on it then and there.

"Angel, what did I say about tempting me?" he asked at her ear, his voice that low, dangerous tone again, even as his hands slowly slid down her waist to her hips, earning them some surprised looks again. Since when was Scott so forward with a girl?

Turning in his arms so she was facing him again, Rogue wrapped her arms around his neck and slowly ground herself into him as the song changed to a 'bump & grind' type of beat. "Sugah, is it really tempting ya if Ah have every intention of lettin' ya do what ya will t' meh latah?" she murmured, leaning up so her mouth was near his ear, even as she continued to dance.

The feel of her body moving like that against him had Scott closing his eyes. "Rogue," he ground out, trying to control his body's reaction with little success. "Unless you plan on missing the rest of the party and quite possibly your flight tomorrow, I'd recommend you quit moving like that...Otherwise I'm not responsible for what I do...which might include dragging you off somewhere we won't be interrupted."

Though she loved knowing she could get him so close to loosing control like that, she gently moved her body away from his just enough for him to be able to get himself together again. "Sorry," she whispered. Her expression lost the obvious desire it had been showing, and leaving behind an expression so loving, even her mother was surprised.

Those around the couple were in varying stages of shock from the display, most of them because they had never thought the Boy Scout would ever fall for the Goth Princess, much less that he actually might feel desire like a normal teenage boy. Granted the mark on her collarbone that some were only just realizing was a hickey told a different story, as did the couple's actions on the dance floor. Kitty, ever the romantic, set up a string of various mid-tempo and slow songs that would allow Rogue and Scott to spend as much time on the dance floor as they desired, all the while enjoying getting to stay close. A few other couples ended up on the make-shift dance floor as well, mainly Kitty and Lance, and Amara with Roberto, but much to her surprise, after their first dance, Alex asked Jean to dance a few more times.

The next two hours for Rogue drifted by in a blur of dancing (mostly with Scott), and spending time with everyone. Unlike what Rogue had thought, the rest of the team took her new relationship with Scott in stride, likely taking their cue from Jean who was (outwardly) nothing but happy for them. The adults were more than happy to see Rogue accepting and initiating contact more frequently that night than she had done in her entire two years she had been in Bayville. For those two hours, Rogue's family was given a glimpse of the woman she might eventually become; a vibrant and caring individual, who despite her own emotional scars loved deeply. And heaven forbid you offend or hurt anyone she cared about, for if you did, it was definitely at your own peril.

As the clock registered right around, Rogue was asked to sing again, and returned to the Karaoke machine, allowing her friends and family to choose what she sang. There were many requests for her to do more of her own material, but she declined stating that it had taken her working on the four she did sing a lot in order to get them ready for tonight.

"What is it you write songs about?" Fred asked her as he finished up a massive plate of food, his third of the evening.

"Little o' everythin," she replied, stretching out her legs, only to have Scott pick up her feet and put them in his lap since he was seated right next to her. After smiling briefly at her lover, she looked back to Fred. "Sometimes its whatevah's pissin' meh off, but...occasionally there's stuff Ah've absorbed from ya'll Ah can't get outta mah head, so writin' it out helps."

"Really?" Fred said, surprised. He had always liked Rogue, even though they didn't get along too well while she was with the Brotherhood. She was one of the few in Bayville who did not degrade him on a regular basis for his size and appetite, if anything, she was very understanding, a fact he had not appreciated until the Brotherhood moved in to Xavier's mansion. "Like what kind of stuff from us?"

Biting her lip, Rogue considered how to answer. Every last person she had absorbed had secrets, or parts of their pasts they'd rather forget. The question was, how much was too much to reveal? "Lots o' stuff," she said slowly, not realizing that her eyes had gone completely gray as she shuffled through her own thoughts and those of the psyches. "Look...it ain't mah place t' say everythin' Ah've put t' papah," she finally admitted, "Its _your _lives an' secrets, not mine. An' what Ah have written from yo' lives...more often than not Ah burn it aftah its outta mah head."

"Your ethics are beyond admirable, my dear," Magneto told her, his sapphire blue eyes, a perfect match to those of his children, were full of respect for this young girl. He was already grateful to her for whatever she had said to Wanda, which had caused his daughter to begin to try and understand him before judging him. Now to find she was keeping the deepest secrets of him and everyone else? That was something you'd rarely hear of in a girl her age.

Surprised at the compliment, Rogue gave a single nod in his direction. "Thanks," she murmured. Noticing that the rest of the students still apparently expected an answer, she sighed. "Look...ya'll know what stuff ya'd nevah want th' othahs t' know," she said, green bleeding into the gray of her eyes. "Think o' th' stuff that sometimes keeps ya'll up at night...that's some o' what Ah'm talkin' about."

No one quite knew how to respond to that, and as a result, the pool area became quiet except for the music from the stereo. Sensing Rogue's underlying shyness begin to come into play via his empathy, Remy smiled at her. "Well, can't speak fo' de rest, Chere, but I gotta say, yo' way o' dealin' wit stuff certainly beats mine."

Wrinkling her nose, Rogue gave a bark of a laugh. "Sugah, your way of dealin' with crap is smokin, drinkin' and women...aint' hard t' beat that!"

Laughing, Remy shrugged. "Mebbe I find a new habit, Ouais?" (yeah?)

Her completely green eyes sparkled. "If ya manage that, Cajun, ya can have that kiss ya were askin' for earliah."

A broad smile spread over Remy's face. "Now dat be a reward wort' workin' towards!"

"Did Ah mention in ordah t' get th' kiss, it has to be a non-destructive habit?" Rogue added, knowing Remy far too well to not make the terms clear. "And ya hafta have th' new habit but none of th' ones Ah mentioned ya currently have?"

Pouting now, the Cajun crossed his arms over his chest before smirking. "Chere, ya makin' it real hard, ya know dat?"

"Swamp Rat, that's why its somethin' worth workin' towards and ya know it." A wicked smirk formed on her deep red lips as she leaned over, her dress parting to show an extra inch of cleavage that left the boys who saw, drooling. "And by th' way...watch ya double entendre**s **Sugah. Ah saw where your eyes were when ya said that."

His eyes now locked on that extra cleavage she was showing, he shrugged. "Mebbe ya do," he admitted, "But ya de one showin' off dat tres belle figure t'night. Can't fault a man fo' lookin' at what ya got on display."

From his chair, Logan let out a low growl to counter that statement, even as Rogue laughed. Glancing at Scott who's jaw was set in a firm line, she smirked. "Ah think there's two," she paused as she noticed her brother glaring at Remy, "Make that three guys who'd disagree with ya on that one, but...Ah suppose ya got a point." She sat up finally, and noted that Scott's gaze followed the neckline of her dress almost as clearly as any of the other boys. "Oh an Sugah," she said, looking at her lover. "Quit droolin' on mah new boots."

Realizing she was talking to Scott, pretty well everyone burst into laughter at that, especially when Scott turned a bright shade of red for a moment. But Scott wasn't about to let it go without getting her back. As his blush subsided, one of his hands slid up her leg slowly, not stopping until it reached the 'bare' skin at the top of the boot. When her eyes locked with his, he grinned. "Then get your feet out of my lap, hun, cause you've already given me permission to look...and drool."

Feeling his hand so high on her leg made Rogue's breath stop for a moment, a fact no one missed as they watched the couple, intrigued. No one had ever thought they'd see the day Scott, (_Scott Summers!_) would ever flirt so blatantly or forwardly, especially in what could be considered a semi-public setting. Rogue looked down at the hand on her thigh for longer than necessary before raising those green eyes back to her lover, and when her eyes locked with his the pure heat that passed between them made the temperature around them rise perceptibly. "Ya know how ya keep tellin' meh not t' tempt ya?" she asked, and got a single nod in response. This time when she spoke, her tone was lower, her sweet drawl a thousand times more seductive than anyone thought she was capable of. "Lovah, did it occur t' ya that it might work both ways?"

Again total silence over took the pool area as the couple had a silent battle of wills. They could both tell the time their patience would end was near, and were only praying that they would be able to get away from the party before that happened. No one...well...okay, the adults wouldn't appreciate them ripping each others clothes off right there at the pool. Some of the students might get a kick out of it, which was beside the point. After a good few minutes of battling themselves for control of their teenage hormones (something they only had ever had a real problem with around each other), Rogue and Scott looked away from each other, causing some to laugh.

"God, for a minute there I thought you two were gonna go at it right in front of us!" Tabby said, her one of the ones who was laughing.

Kurt looked gobsmacked at the thought of his sister 'doing it.' "Vhat? She vouldn't..." he protested, then noticed the vivid blush on Rogue's face. "Vait..." When she continued to avoid his eyes, his finally saw the hickey on her collarbone. "Mein Gott! Bitte sagen Sie mir nicht!" (My god! Please tell me you didn't!)

As those who hadn't figured out that their fearless leader and Goth princess had done more than kiss the day before finally caught up to the rest, there were a series of gasps and exclamations of surprise for the next few minutes, all while Rogue kept her head down and Scott looked anywhere but at the Professor, who he could feel staring at him.

Lance gave a choked laugh, even as he smacked Scott on the arm. "Guess you aren't as much of a goody-goody as I thought!"

Kurt was still rambling on in German, staring at his sister. "Aber du und er ... nein ... warum sollte man? Gott, sind Sie versuchen zu machen mich verrückt? Er ist mein bester Freund, aber du bist meine Schwester ... dies nicht berechnen verdammt noch mal!" (But you and he...no...why would you? God, are you trying to make me crazy? He's my best friend, but you're my sister...this doesn't compute damn it!)

Finally recovering, Rogue shot her brother an amused look. "Kurt...Ah can't understand a word your sayin..."

Those golden eyes flared momentarily as he realized he had been rambling, and he stopped. "Sorry," he said, wincing, but then he shot her a serious look. "But you! How...Vhy..."

Raising an eyebrow, Rogue smirked. "Ya sure ya wanna know the how an' why, lil' brothah?"

If he had been able, it was obvious Kurt would have been blushing right to the tips of his fur. "Ach! Nein! Nein!" He covered his ears and frowned at her. "Don't even joke zhat vay!"

The tension finally gone, everyone had a brief laugh at Kurt's expense, and began to move from the tables and chairs to dance or converse in smaller groups again. Rogue allowed herself to be kept on the dance floor most of the time, and Scott was not her only partner this time. Instead, he also danced with Jean, Kitty and even Wanda a few times while the other boys claimed dances with Rogue. Ten PM came far more swiftly than anyone had thought it would, and as the 'scheduled' end for the party, some of the adults began to slowly clean up, primarily at the food table. Come 10:30, the Professor and Magneto had retired into the house to do their nightly news check to ensure their were no crisis that needed the attention of the X-men and their new allies. By 11 pm, the younger mutants had gone on to their rooms to wash up and get ready for bed, since their curfew was 11:30. All the while, the original team, the brotherhood and the Acolytes stayed up and eventually were found just lounging around the pool. As the clock clicked over to 11:30, Rogue rose from the pool lounge she had been stretched out on, and headed straight for Scott. A few curious eyes watched her, even as she coaxed Scott to follow her into the house. From the door, she bade them all goodnight, and told them she'd see them in the morning.

But she must have forgotten that the door she was standing in front of had a window, because as soon as the door was shut, Scott had pulled the thin black scarf from her boot, laid it over her nose and mouth, and was kissing her senseless. As those outside watched in shock, Scott pinned Rogue to the wall next to the door and slowly worked his way down to her neck, while Rogue's hands clawed at his hair and shoulders. Well, if there was any doubt as to why she had led him inside, it was certainly gone now. After a few minutes of making his angel beg, Scott pulled back and swept Rogue up into his arms as he had the day before, then proceeded to carry her up the stairs and straight to her room.

Outside, Wanda and Remy looked at each other. "I wonder which of us needs to find a room to sleep in tonight?" Wanda asked, causing the Cajun to laugh.

"You," he told her, sensing the direction in which Scott was taking Rogue. "But ya welcome t' sleep in our room."

"Actually, Wanda's bed was ruined earlier," Jean interjected, looking apologetic. "So a spare bed was set up in Kitty's and my room. I'm sorry, I was supposed to tell you before the party, but I think Ororo got you some clothes moved into our room."

Nodding, Wanda shrugged it off. "I can't even begin to count the number of things I've destroyed with my powers," she admitted, earning a nervous laugh from the Brotherhood boys. "Besides, it's going to be weird, having that room to myself now."

Pyro briefly glanced at Remy, smirking. "So, is yer sheila nice 'n happy, mate?" he teased, knowing Remy could likely sense Rogue and her emotions.

Though he frowned, Remy briefly reached out towards his Chere with his empathy, and was shocked to find her already experiencing a climax. Well, he'd have to raise his estimation of the Boy Scout if he was talented enough to have her already over the edge. Something must've shown in his expression, because he heard St. John laugh.

"I'm gonna think that's a yes," Lance said, also smirking as he watched the play of emotions on the Cajun's face.

Kitty and Jean had no idea how to react to the boy's comments, and were both blushing, while Kurt had his ears covered, not wanting to hear any of this when it concerned his sister. "Like, can you guys quit it?" Kitty asked, fanning her face to rid herself of the blush.

"They are being...stupid." Piotr said from his chair, giving Kitty an apologetic look. Looking to the other boys, he frowned. "It is not...proper, discussing this in front of girls," he added.

"You are such a gentleman," Kitty gushed, not noticing the way Piotr looked at her, but Lance certainly did.

"Thank you," Piotr replied, then stood. Glancing at the others, he gave a nod. "Good night."

"Night, mon ami," Remy bid, even as he pulled out a deck of cards and began to shuffle it.

"See ya, mate," St. John added, his ever present smirk in place.

The rest of those gathered bid the silent giant good night as well, with the exception of Lance who was too busy glaring at him for looking at Kitty like he had. Finally, the rest of them began to decide bed was a good idea as well, and by the time midnight came, the pool area was abandoned. As 12:30 rolled around, all around the mansion, lights were turned out, and every inhabitant was in bed. By 1am, there were only two still awake.

**Rogue and Wanda's Room – 1AM -**

As Rogue and Scott lay together in her bed, they both found themselves fighting to stay awake. Neither wanted to waste a moment of the little time they had left sleeping, but after their passions were spent, it was increasingly difficult to avoid their body's need for rest.

"You still awake?" Scott murmured as he cuddled her from behind, his fingers trailing over her arms.

"Mm," was her soft reply. Her green eyes closed briefly before she turned her head a bit to look at him. "Barely," she admitted.

Placing a kiss to her shoulder, Scott let his hands wander over her form. "Happy?" he asked, trailing kisses over her shoulder and neck, as much to keep himself awake as to get her to make those little sighing noises he had discovered she'd make if she was enjoying something.

She made one of those soft sigh noises, and tilted her head to allow him more access to her neck, even as she felt him lift the scarf back up so he could kiss along her jaw and just below her ear. "Until Ah remembah what t'day is," she said as she sighed again. His hand trailed just under her breast, making her body quiver. "Mm...lovah...ya teasin' meh again," she informed him.

"Its not teasing," he assured her, allowing his hands to continue mapping her generous curves. "I have every intention of keeping you awake all night."

"Good thing Ah c'n sleep on the plane, hmm?" she asked, arching her back so she could rub her body against his. The responding shudder and soft moan made her smile.

"Very good thing." His hands dipped lower, drawing a moan of their own from her.

Rogue shifted onto her back so she could see him in the pale moonlight coming through the windows, and reached up to cup his face. As his hand continued to draw moans from her, she tangled her fingers into his hair and pulled his face to hers. Exchanging heated kisses, she finally turned onto her side facing him, and lifted one leg over his so that her body was flush against his. "Ah love you," she whispered at his ear when she took a break from kissing him.

Remembering a line from a romance flick some of the girls were fond of, Scott smiled at her. "Ditto." He knew she would get the reference, and was rewarded with a faint laugh before she pressed her lips to his again.

"Make love t' meh," she murmured, green eyes locked with his through the shades. "Make love t' meh till the sun comes up..."

That's exactly what Scott did.

**A/N: **Okay, so this chapter is WAY longer than I expected. I tried cutting it into the early part of the day, then the party, but it totally ruined the flow, so you all just read 27/28 pages and nearly 21k words worth of fan fic in one chapter! This chapter is equal in length to at least 3 other chapters combined! I didn't intend to have so much Scogue in here, but they just kept wanting to play! Those two and their hormones! LOL. And at least their relationship is out in the open, but Scott STILL hasn't said he loves her. Next chapter will detail Rogue's departure from Bayville and her arrival at Muir Island. From there, we'll get some actual action back into this, because its just too quiet right now. LOL. Romance will take a back-seat for a while, sorry. Until next time! As always, a HUGE thanks to my lovely reviewers. Your reviews never fail to put a smile on my face!

**Review Responses for Non-registered reviewers -**

**Emily – **I'd apologize for it not being a Romy, but there are far too many good Romy stories in comparison to Scogue (I hate the term Rott for Rogue/Scott) that I almost felt honor-bond to write a story for my favorite Evo chars. I do have some Evo Romy stories if you're interested in checking them out, and I am thinking of working on them again, so if you're a fan of how I write (just not the couple I chose in this story) keep an eye out. :)

**Anonymous136 – **Glad to get a review from you, but I do understand about RL and new jobs! Good luck with the new job, and I'll be looking forward to reviews when you can spare the time!

**Guest** – Ah, so you finally were able to leave me your usual lengthy review I love so much! I know the rating change was a give-away, but ah well. Hopefully I answered your question about the Strawberry incident adequately for now. You'll get a better answer later on of course, but I can't say more without giving away future content, lol. I'm glad the Racquetball scene went well, as I was definitely worried about that one! As for the progression of Rogue and Scott's relationship to 'that' level, again, I find myself glad you (and my other lovely Scogue-fan reviewers) found it to work so well and be a 'natural' thing. I couldn't bring myself to have Scott refer to her as 'Kate,' because I don't want him in that habit...well...you'll figure out why later! Him calling her "my angel" or just "angel" seems much more telling of how he feels, and exactly how important she has become to him, imho. Looking forward to your review for this chapter!


	13. Act II - Ch 12 -Begin Again

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Act II**_

_**Chapter 12 , "Begin Again"**_

**Author Notes: **We're jumping straight over to Muir Island folks, so get ready! The goodbye scene is included, just...yeah, lol. Its not the first thing you'll see. Also, I think I scared a few people when I said I was going to be including Original Characters in here (like Guest), so I want to be clear. Excalibur has 9 of 11 of its members were/are Marvel characters. I have done research on the way they were in the comics, and have altered them to have a better fit into Evo verse as well as my own universe. So please, don't panic! I think you all will be pleasantly surprised with who I've included, and how I write them, given all of them are young adults or teenagers. Also, a HUGE HUGE thank you to TieDyeJackson for his amazing help in curing my writer's block and helping me sort out the Dossier for Excalibur!

As DrPraetorious so kindly pointed out (and I am happy someone decided to comment on this), it has been a highly Utopia story with tons of love for Rogue thus far. Admittedly not how I had intended ages ago when I started the story, but now it fits in even better with where we're going. As I said in a response to the good DrP, we're only at the beginning of the Roller Coaster my friends. The twists, turns, and speedy drops are coming, I assure you!

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Rogue, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred, Mystique), and my own unique Excalibur team (introduced this chapter), oh and the New Mutants (Jamie, Bobby, Roberto, Ray, Jubilee, Tabby, Amara)

**Muir Island Research Facility– 2 months, 1 week, 5 days after Rogue's arrival – 2 PM**

"So...how's Scott?" Rogue asked into the cordless phone as she stretched out on her bed.

"Like, he's good, I guess," Kitty's voice responded from the other end of the line. "He's down in the danger room right now with Jean, and they're working with the Professor. Do you want me to get him for you?"

She could clearly hear the sympathetic tone in Kitty's voice, which made her feel even worse. It had been two weeks since she had last heard from Scott, and even then it had been a brief message saying he was sorry he hadn't been available to chat recently. Not three weeks after she had left, Jean had another power-surge, and had very nearly impaled Logan and Kurt with various debris during a Danger Room session as a result. Scott, in his usual fashion, felt the blame was entirely on him. After all, she had been perfectly fine (as far as he knew) until he had gone and decided he didn't love her. It had taken much convincing to get him to realize that Jean's issues had started while she was fighting the Professor as they tried to take down Apocalypse, but he still felt a large amount of guilt.

"No," Rogue said after what she knew was a long pause. "Just...tell him Ah called, and Ah hope he's okay...Jean too."

"Are you sure?" Kitty asked, and Rogue could clearly picture the brunette's likely expression at that moment. "I know he'd want to hear from you."

"Yeah, but if he's in the DR with the Professah, that's not a time Ah need t' be interuptin," Rogue maintained, even though she longed to hear his voice. Lord, she missed him.

"Okay...if you're, like, sure..." Kitty said, then paused. "Hang on," In the background, Rogue could hear others talking, and then a familiar voice joined in that background noise. "Scott!" she heard Kitty call, and her heart stopped for a moment. "Its Rogue, she wanted to talk to you!"

There were a few moments in which Rogue could hear Scott talking to someone, Jean maybe? The other voice was too faint for her to hear. "I'll, like, catch you later, Rogue" Kitty's voice said, then there was the sound of the phone being passed off to someone else.

"Hey you..."

Those words were like a breath of fresh air, and had Rogue smiling broadly. "Hey ya'self, lovah," she responded.

There was a sound of a chair being moved, then Scott's voice came across the line again. "I'm so sorry I haven't called or anything, but the Professor's been having me doing all sorts of tests for your Dr. McTaggert so she can consult again on my powers, then on top of that my classes started late, so I'm having to get into those...its one big mess."

"Ah understand," she assured him, then sighed. "Ah just hate that we're so damn far apart," she admitted, knowing it made her sound needy, but damn it, their romance was still new enough, wasn't she allowed to be?

"Believe me, I know," Scott said, and she could hear from his tone that he was missing her as much as she was him. "But at least there's that party next week," he added, reminding Rogue of the huge gala Excalibur and the European governments were throwing. It was a 'good will' type event, and all of the 'super hero' teams around the world were invited, as well as important dignitaries from various countries. The main point was to show how well Excalibur was already working out for Europe, and potentially influence other countries to create teams who could work in tandem with them.

"You are not gonna be outta mah sight all night, Ah hope you know that," she told him. "Betsy and Emma saw a photo of you the othah day and were both droolin', even though Ah told em ya were taken."

Scott's laugh echoed over the phone. "You know I won't mind you keeping me close," was his reply. "If anything, I won't be letting you out of my sight either...There's no telling when I'll get a chance to see you again after this party."

A call from outside her room had Rogue looking up, just as the door opened. A handsome young man of around Rogue's age entered, then stopped upon realizing she was on the phone. "Oh, sorry...I thought you said you'd be ready?"

Glancing at the clock, Rogue grimaced. "Lovah, Ah'm gonna have to go..."

"Oh? What's going on?"

"The good Dr. McTaggert thinks she found a part of my control problem and wants t' run anothah test or two. Ah completely forgot she wanted t' do it this afternoon." Twirling a bit of her hair, she sighed. "Figures, Ah finally get ya on th' phone and Ah have t' go."

"I'm sure Dr. McTaggert would..." the young man at the door began, only to stop when Rogue made a negating move with her free hand.

"I'm sorry," Scott said again. "Can you call tomorrow? I have all day free tomorrow."

"Ah can't...th' gals are draggin' me shoppin' in London for a dress for the party. Ah thought Betsy and Emma were gonna have a heart-attack when Ah told em Ah hadn't decided what Ah was gonna wear. And apparently th' dress Ah wore for mah goin'away party doesn't work."

He must have heard the annoyance in her voice, because he gave a short chuckle. "You know you'll end up having fun. Hell, Kitty and the other girls would probably kill for a chance to go shopping with a former model in London."

In the background, Rogue heard Kitty begin to squeal and chatter, making her smile. "Tell Kitty Ah'll take her shoppin' in London at some point," she said. "Maybe that'll save your ear drums."

Scott passed on the message, and Kitty snatched the phone from him long enough to tell Rogue she'd hold her to that before Scott came back on the line. "Thank you," he said, laughter still in his tone. "But you'd better go, hun. If I don't talk to you before then, I'll see you in a week, okay?"

Sighing, Rogue nodded. "Tell everyone 'hi' for meh that Ah didn't get t' talk to...especially th' Professah and Logan." She paused for a moment as he said he would pass on the message. "Ah love you," she whispered, even as she screwed up her face to keep from crying.

"Ditto," he replied, his tone soft, then the line went dead.

Rogue wasn't surprised he had hung up without saying 'goodbye,' they had refused to say the word when she left Bayville, and still did to this day. Hanging up her cordless, she placed it back in the charger and looked up. "Sorry about that, Nate," she told the young man who was standing at her doorway. As she stood from her bed and dusted some non-existent dirt from from her pants, she eyed him briefly. She still couldn't get over the fact that she wasn't the only mutant who had brown hair with white bangs.

"I never thought I'd see anyone else with hair colored like mine either," he said, smirking at her.

"Ah was projecting again wasn't Ah?"

"You've been doing that a lot," Nate observed. Glancing at her un-made bed and how half of the linen was on the floor, he raised an eyebrow at her. Normally she was much neater than that. "Bad night?"

"Yeah...Ah think Ah had somethin' that didn't agree with meh, was up half th' night with an upset stomach." She paused as she pulled her auburn hair into a short ponytail. "Or maybeh its just all this stress, whatevah."

Shrugging, he moved over and began to straighten the bed for her. "So long as you're feeling better now."

"Yeah, Ah'm fine." She helped him finish straightening up the linen on her queen-sized bed, and shot him a smile. "Thanks."

"We had best get downstairs. I told the Dr. you were running a bit behind, so she said she'd wait."

"Oh...thanks for that too," she said, even as they exited her bedroom. She heard the tell-tale sound of an incoming e-mail on her computer as the door was pulled shut and made a mental note to check it later. As the two made their way down in silence, Rogue found her mind wondering back to when she had arrived at the Island, and been introduced to people she had read a dossier about on the plane ride over. She could still she that 4-sheet document in her mind perfectly, a product of the fact that apparently with her powers evolving she had gained an Eidetic (perfect) memory. Thinking on it, she began to go over it again in her head.

Cerebro Files

- Classified -

Muir Island Initiative

Subject Name: Brian Braddock

Codename: Captain Britain

Sex: M - Age: 23 - Height: 6'6

Hair: Blonde - Eyes: Blue

Abilities: - superhuman strength speed, endurance, agility, reflexes, senses and durability

force fields and flight

Affiliation: Excalibur – Main Roster – Team Leader

Fraternal Twin of Excalibur Lieutenant Elizabeth "Betsy" Braddock (Codename – Psylocke)

Aided in Creation of Excalibur

Has PhD in Physics and has considerable science skill.

Subject Name: Elizabeth "Betsy" Braddock

Codename: Psylocke

Sex : F - Age: 23 - Height: 5'11

Hair - Purple - Eyes - Purple

Abilities : - Near Omega Level Telepath

- Trained Master Ninja

Affiliation : Excalibur - Main Roster - Lieutenant

- Fraternal Twin of Excalibur Team Leader Brian Braddock (Codename - Captain Britain)

- Joined Excalibur at Behest of Excalibur Team Leader Brian Braddock (Codename - Captain Britain)

Uses her advanced abilities to help locate mutants for the Muir Island Initiative

Subject Name: Emma Frost

Codename: None

Sex: F – Age 21 – Height: 5'10

Hair: Blonde - Eyes: Blue

Abilities: - Alpha Level Telepath

-Organic Diamond Form

Affiliation: Excalibur – Main Roster

Owner & CEO Frost International, HQ: Boston, Massachusetts.

Joined Excalibur at request of General Rainier, British Royal Guard.

Uses her abilities to help locate and train mutants for Muir Island Initiative

Subject Name: Lucas Bishop

Codename: Bishop

Sex :M - Age:24 - Height: 6'6

Hair - Black - Eyes - Brown

Abilities : - Energy absorption and redirection

Superhuman physical attributes

Ability to instinctively know present location

Extreme Firearms Knowledge

Highly Trained in Hand-to-hand combat

Affiliation : Excalibur - Main Roster

Originally from L.A, California; Orphan.

Adopted by Military family at young age.

Powers manifested late, at age 19.

Moved to Muir Island when powers proved difficult to control.

Subject Name: Tessa (Last Name Unknown)

Codename: Sage

Sex: F - Age: 22 (Assumed) - Height: 5'7

Hair: Black - Eyes: Blue

Abilities: - Can Jump-start mutant powers

Super-human mental processing, including perfect memory and data analysis

Telepathy (unknown levels, assumed Alpha Level)

Affiliation: Excalibur – Main Roster

Powers activated 7 years ago

Was approached by Professor Charles Xavier upon powers manifestation, but declined offer of aid.

All other history unknown, assumed to have no living relatives.

Subject Name: Neal Shaara

Codename: Thunderbird

Sex: M - Age:20 - Height: 5'9

Hair: Black - Eyes: Brown

Abilities: - Generation of super-heated plasma

-Super-strength

-increased durability, stamina and speed

Affiliation: Excalibur – Main Roster

Origin: India

Powers manifested at age 16 to save his life

Came to Muir Island to achieve control, and has since joined Excalibur.

Subject Name: Nate Grey

Codename: None

Sex: M - Age: 18 - Height: 5'10

Hair: Brown with White Bangs - Eyes: Blue

Abilities: - Omega Level Telepath (limited control)

Omega Level Telekenetic (full control)

Ability to Exist Incorporeal as Living Psychic Energy

Affiliation: Excalibur – Main Roster

Found on Shores of Muir Island 3 ½ years ago, nearly dead.

Has had blocks placed on his powers, making him effectively only an Alpha Level mutant until such a time as he has control and can survive using them.

Recent discoveries show he was created by the Mad-scientist Mutant, Sinister using the DNA of multiple mutants for unknown purposes. Further investigations are being done.

Subject Name: Sean Cassidy

Codename: Banshee

Sex: M - Age: 33 - Height: 6'

Hair: Reddish-blonde - Eyes: Blue-green

Abilities: - Superhuman hearing

Sonic screams,

Flight,

Concussive blasts,

Sonic energy lances,

Ability to cause nausea, disorientation, or unconsciousness.

Affiliation: Excalibur – On-Call Roster

Former Interpol Investigator

Wife murdered by IRA bombing shortly after birth of their daughter, Theresa (Siryn)

Lost use of powers after an accident 6 years ago, and moved to Muir Island for medical attention. Has since regained use of powers.

Dr. McTaggert has raised his daughter on the island since death of his wife.

Subject Name: Lorna Dane

Codename: Polaris

Sex: F - Age: 19 - Height: 5'7

Hair: Neon Green - Eyes: Green

Abilities: - Magnetism Manipulation

Magnetic Force Fields

Magnetic Flight

Affiliation: Excalibur – On-Call Roster

Currently a Student at Oxford, studying Geophysics

Ran away from home of adopted parents at age 11

Powers manifested very early, resulting in death of her birth parents.

Has lived on Muir Island since age 12. In Training to become full member of Excalibur next year.

Subject Name: Z

Codename: None

Sex: M - Age: Unknown, appears to be in his 20's - Height: 6'8 (human form), up to 15 feet tall in demon form

Hair: Neon Green - Eyes: Gold (Right eye) & Red (Left eye)

Abilities: - Shadow teleportation

Extreme Combat Expertise (mixed styles)

Master Swordsman

Other Classified abilities

Affiliation: Excalibur – On-Call Roster

History Unknown

Claims to be a Shadow Demon

Subject Name: Lacey

Codename: Shimmer

Sex: F - Age: 20 - Height: 5'5

Hair: Light Blue - Eyes: Dark Blue

Abilities: - Teleportation

Affiliation: Excalibur – On-Call Roster / In Training

History largely unknown, assumed to be from Boston, Massachusetts.

Receiving combat training so she can become a fully active member of Excalibur; is currently a liability in field during combat situations.

Muir Island Initiative – Students

Subject Name: Jonothon (Jono) Starsmore

Codename: Chamber

Sex: M - Age: 14 - Height: 5'9

Hair: Reddish-brown - Eyes: Brown

Abilities: - Possesses a chamber of Psionic energy in his chest

- Telepath

Affiliation: Excalibur – In Training

Powers manifestation tore a hole in his chest, and crippled a childhood friend.

Parents sent him to Muir Island at age 12 for aid in learning to control powers.

Suffers from moderate to severe depression.

Subject Name: Theresa Rourke Cassidy

Codename: Siryn

Sex: F - Age: 12 - Height: 5'1

Hair: Reddish-Blonde - Eyes: Blue

Abilities: - Sonic-Scream

Flight

Suggestion through Voice modulation

Enhanced Hearing

Sound Containment

Affiliation: Excalibur – In Training

Raised by Dr. Moira McTaggert since approximately 6 months old.

Father, Sean Cassidy (Codename: Banshee) has nearly identical powers to Theresa, making her one of the few mutants who's powers are similar to that of their parent(s).

Subject Name: Rahne Sinclair

Codename: Wolfsbane

Sex: F - Age:15 - Height: 5'2 (Human form) or up to 8' (lupine forms)

Hair: Red (human form) or Reddish-brown fur (lupine forms) - Eyes: Green

Abilities: - Shape-shifts into a wolf-like humanoid or full wolf at will

- Retains enhanced senses in Human form

Affiliation: Excalibur – In Training

After being removed from the care of Professor Charles Xavier, her powers surged, causing loss of control of transformation.

Parents contacted Dr. Moira McTaggert (old family friend) for aid.

Has made significant progress in regaining full control in the three months she has been a resident.

Subject Name: Kevin Foray McTaggert

Codename: Rocky

Sex: M - Age: 16 - Height: 5'10 (human form) 6'9 (stone form)

Hair: Black - Eyes: Brown

Abilities: - Shape-shift into an organic stone form allowing Super Strength, nigh invulnerability and increased stamina

Affiliation: Excalibur – In Training

Orphan from South African village.

Was adopted by Dr. Moira McTaggert at 4 years old; she was a visiting physician in the area.

Subject Name: William (Bill) Holt

Codename: Tech

Sex: M - Age: 19 - Height: 5'11

Hair: Light Brown - Eyes: Hazel

Abilities: - Super-human intelligence

- Can 'speak' to technology

Affiliation: Excalibur – In Training

Master builder of inventions

Originally from London, England

Orphaned at 11; brought to Muir Island by Brian Braddock (Codename: Captain Britain) at age 13 when powers manifested.

Is the builder/designer of the special equipment used by Dr. Moira McTaggert to aid or subdue mutants who have dangerous or unstable powers; has also created equipment for use in aiding mutants to gain control of their powers.

Subject Name: Taylor James

Codename: None

Sex: M - Age: 15- Height: 5'7

Hair: Blonde - Eyes: Blue

Abilities: - Energy Absorption and Projection (Deadly Force)

Affiliation: Excalibur – In Training

Origin: Sydney, Australia; Upper Class.

Sent to Muir Island by parents after manifestation of powers resulted in death of Taylor's best friend at age 12.

Subject exhibits no control over force of blasts (concussive vs. deadly).

Subject is also being treated for depression.

Subject Name: Taima (Ty)

Codename: Shaman

Sex: 5'10 - Age: 17 - Height: 5'10

Hair: Black - Eyes: Black

Abilities: - Minor elemental control

- Minor healing ability (self and others)

Affiliation: Excalibur – In Training

Possible Omega class mutant at maturity.

Runaway.

Origin: Indian Reservation, Arizona.

Found wondering near the Grand Canyon, Arizona by Emma Frost at age 16; moved to Muir Island shortly after.

Younger sister, Aiyana recently brought to Muir Island for treatment for an unexplained coma.

Subject Name: Cameron Moor

Codename: Bear

Sex: M - Age: 21 - Height: 6'4

Hair: Red - Eyes: Dark blue

Abilities: - Shape-shifter

Minor Self-healing

Can mimic physical based powers of those he mimics the appearance of

Affiliation: Excalibur – In Training

Origin: Ireland, unknown Coastal town.

Disowned by parents at age 15

Brought to Muir Island by Elizabeth Braddock (Codename: Psylocke) at age 17.

Training to become full Excalibur team member nearly complete; 3 months remaining.

Subject Name: Brittany Noth

Codename: None

Sex: F - Age: 14 - Height: 5'2

Hair: Dark Brown - Eyes: Gray

Abilities: - Unaided Flight

Hawk-keen sight

Superhuman Hearing

Affiliation: Excalibur – In Training

Origin: Paris, France

Mother requested Brittany be given safe haven at Muir Island after she began to be bullied at school for her abilities.

Family is old friends with Dr. Moira McTaggert.

And that only covered those who were anywhere near the age of being able to join Excalibur. There were a few younger children, under ten years old, who had physical mutations that had caused parents to leave them at hospitals or adoption centers around Europe. Of course, since Muir Island had become a known safe-haven, Government agencies were beginning to ship any mutant child who was abandoned there. Rogue was just thankful that the facility was large enough to hold so many people, and that the members of Excalibur (or possible members like herself) were housed in their own wing.

"You keep thinking back to when you moved in," Nate observed, giving her a wry smile.

"Lawd, if Ah don't quit projecting, you, Betsy and Emma are gonna hate meh," she mused with a laugh, even as she tightened her shields again. "Wonder why Ah'm havin' so much trouble keeping my shields in place lately?"

"We'll check that while we're in the lab," Nate told her. "Though Betsy is probably best for a job that delicate. You know me...I'm more like a battering ram to the brain."

"Oh, is she gonna be down there too?" Rogue asked, even as Nate placed his palm against the scanner. A metallic door hissed open, revealing the hall that led from the main house to the Medical Building.

Entering the hallway after her, Nate nodded. "She thought you might prefer to have a female telepath this time...after...well...after last time," he said almost shyly.

During the last attempt to scan Rogue's mind for possible blocks that were obstructing her control, Nate had stumbled upon her memories of her two days with Scott. He had been so stunned that he had accidentally accessed other memories of a sexual nature as well. By the time he had finally pulled out of her mind, both of them were beet red, and couldn't even look at each other for nearly a week.

"That's fahne," she assured him. "Ah was just shocked ya ended up in those memories," she admitted. "Ah think you bein' so embarrassed made it worse for meh, actually. Had ya laughed it off or something, it might've been bettah."

"I'll remember that," he commented as he used yet another palm scanner to allow them access to the Medical building itself. "But hopefully we won't have any more...incidents." Allowing Rogue to enter ahead of him, Nate waved to Brian and Bill who where off to one side, making small improvements to one of the many machines in the building.

As they entered one of the rooms Dr. McTaggert had set up for sessions like what Rogue was going through, known as a 'Therapy Room,' they found the good Doctor as well as the purple-haired telepath, Betsy Braddock. Settling herself into the chaise lounge, Rogue smiled at the two women. "Sorry Ah'm late. Kitty had called."

"So Nate told us," Betsy said. "How are your friends in New York?"

"They're good, but Ah think Jean's havin' more problems," she admitted.

"Charles has asked me tae consult," Moira told her. "He first thought perhaps tha' Jean had suddenly developed a split personality disorder, but th' more he works with her, th' less it seems that way." Moira uncrossed her legs and sighed. "Poor Charles is at a loss for how t' help th' lass."

Betsy gave a nod. "I've managed to get a bit of a read on her, but the distance makes it difficult to be of any aid to him. Bill is working on building a cerebro type unit for myself, Emma and Nate to use so that perhaps we can help your Professor in the future."

"Ah know he'd appreciate that," Rogue said. Shoving Jean and her problems to the back of her mind, Rogue focused on Betsy. "So what are we doing today?"

"I'm going to continue the search for blocks in your mind. With so many psyches present, it makes things more difficult than with others."

A thought occurred to Rogue, and she could tell the moment Betsy picked up on it. "Would it work?" she asked aloud.

"It might...it very well could. But something like that would work best with Tessa present," Betsy admitted. "Since she is the one who confirmed the fact that you still could potentially access the powers you've absorbed previously, anything to do with that might require her to jump-start a minor evolution of your powers."

"So we can't do that today then, can we?" Rogue questioned.

"I can ask Tessa to work out the probabilities and possible scenarios while we're doing this today, then on Monday she can join us," Betsy said with a smile.

"Okay. Whatevah ya think is best. Ya'll are th' experts, not meh."

Moira gave a small chuckle. "Then lets get started shall we?" At Rogue's nod, she hooked up the sensors that monitored the girl's vitals as well as other statistics during the session. Once Rogue was completely hooked up to the machines, Moira moved to sit again where she could watch them.

"Alright, luv," Betsy began as she moved to sit in a chair closer to Rogue. "You know what to do by now."

"This is always the hardest part," Rogue admitted.

"You do fine," Betsy assured her even as she watched Rogue close her eyes and attempt to shove the psyches into corners of her mind, the better to allow access to her own thoughts and memories. Once she could not feel the psyches that resided in Rogue's mind quite so actively, Betsy gave a brief telepathic check to ensure Rogue was ready. Upon receiving a positive response, Betsy used her considerable telepathy to enter Rogue's mind. It was an interesting space that mimicked what the telepath knew now was the Mansion back in Bayville, with each of the bedrooms housing a separate 'ghost.' Some doors were locked up tight by Professor Xavier, mainly the ones with psyches that could cause particular havoc with Rogue's mind like the Juggernaut and Sabretooth, while others were not, allowing versions of Rogue's friends to wander under normal circumstances.

At the moment, however, all of the psyches were placed in their 'rooms' leaving only Rogue's own 'room' open for exploration. As Betsy's psychic avatar entered the 'room,' she was greeted by a psychic manifestation of Rogue. "Ya wasted no time t'day," she observed.

"I've gotten used to how impressive your mind is," Betsy responded, a smile on the face of her avatar. "Now...I'm going to begin in your earliest memories today."

Giving a nod, Rogue began to focus on those memories along with the telepath. Soon, memories from right around the time Rogue was adopted began to play, memories Rogue wasn't even aware she still had. While Betsy focused on trying to find a possible block somewhere in the memories, Rogue allowed herself to enjoy seeing her childhood with Irene again.

Some time later, Betsy pulled herself out of Rogue's mind, a frown on her face. Once Rogue had come back to herself as well, Betsy looked at her. "How long ago was it that Professor Xavier found that you had no memories before age 4 ½?"

"Only a few months ago, when mah powahs went out of control," Rogue said, now frowning as well. "Why?"

"Did he search at all to see why those memories weren't...well, why they were blocked?"

"Blocked?"

"Indeed," Betsy said, her frown deepening. "As I explored your earliest memory, the one of you a week or so after arriving at Irene's, I felt something like a blocked memory when started it over again at the beginning."

Rogue looked startled. "How could th' Professah have missed that?"

"Well, to be fair to your Professor," Betsy began, even as she used her powers to show Nate what she had come across. "He may have only had the time to go through memories once, because I only found the block when I 'rewound' them. There's a few different ways he might have missed it, so don't hold it against him, luv," Betsy added, a soft smile on her face.

"Ah won't," Rogue assured. "He did a lot for meh while Ah was there, if he missed somethin' cause he had so much else goin' on, then...it happens t' th' best of us apparently." She took a deep breath, then looked at the telepaths. "So, what now? Can ya do anythin' about th' block?"

Betsy shared a look with Nate and Moira before responding. "Let us talk about it first, and I'd still like to get Sage and Emma's opinions on the best way to proceed. The last thing we want to do is make things worse instead of better."

"Worse?" Rogue asked, startled. "What would be worse than not bein' able t' touch, or not bein' alone in mah own head?"

"Well for one if we aren't careful in how we do this, we could create a repeat of when you lost control, accidentally give control to one of the psyches, the list goes on. None of the options are pleasant for you if we aren't careful and extremely precise in our methods." Nate gave Rogue another of his wry smiles, one of the few types of smile he seemed able to do with the limits on his emotions.

Nodding, Rogue gave a sigh. "So, Ah guess ya'll will let meh know when ya figure out what's gonna be best then?"

"Of course, luv," Betsy assured her.

Remembering Rogue's issue with projecting, Nate brought it up to Moira and Betsy. After a brief conversation, Betsy entered Rogue's mind again and took her time looking for possible reasons Rogue, who according to the Professor had always been amazing in her control of how much she allowed a telepath to see or sense, might be having problems suddenly. When she found nothing after a good half hour, she pulled out of Rogue's mind. "Well, there's nothing I can see to explain the sudden holes in your shielding, But perhaps Emma can have a look as well on Monday, she sometimes spots things I miss."

"Well, I know ye've been down here long enough, lass," Moira said, moving to start hooking a few new machines up to Rogue. "But lets get th' other tests done b'fore ye go."

Nodding, Rogue smiled briefly at Betsy. "Thanks for lookin', Betsy."

Betsy's only response was a smile as she moved herself out of the way of Moira and sat down next to Nate. While Moira ran her tests, the two telepaths quietly conversed about the day's findings, and had a brief conversation using their powers with fellow Telepaths Emma and Tessa so that they would be able to prepare for the session on Monday. It took another hour before Moira finished her tests, but when she finished, Rogue smiled and reassured the Doctor that none of them had caused her any pain. Suddenly, the door to the Therapy room opened, and Rogue turned that way as Moira unhooked all of the machines from her.

"How did things go today?" the leader of Excalibur asked, his impressive 6'6 frame filling the doorway. He gave Rogue a pleasant smile that she returned, then let his blue eyes focus on his sister.

"We made a small amount of progress," Betsy said, even as Nate exited the room, heading for where Bill was finishing up tinkering on something to strike up a conversation with him. "I found a block on some memories from when she was very young, so we're going to begin working on that once a safe plan is devised."

Nodding, Brian gave Rogue a pleased look. "I'm glad you guys managed to find something finally, I know it was getting frustrating for you, hun."

She would never get used to the Braddock twins and their liberal use of affectionate nick names like 'luv' or 'hun,' Rogue mused, even as she tucked some of her auburn and white hair behind an ear. "Aftah th' tests when Ah first got heah, Ah kinda realized it wasn't gonna be nearly as easy as th' Professah had hoped," she admitted. "Ah'm just glad there's that school online where Ah c'n continue workin' towards mah Diploma." She gave an amused look. "It'd be kinda embarassin' goin' back t' Bayville an' bein' in th' same grade as Kitty or th' youngah ones."

Brian gave a guffaw of a laugh, reminding Rogue of how easily amused he was. Honestly, he reminded her a bit of her brother, always laughing or smiling, especially when he was around his favorite girls (his sister, Emma or Rogue herself). "I can imagine," he patted her on the back. "Even if we hadn't found that online school, I'm sure we could have found someone around her qualified enough to get you through High School."

Rogue followed Betsy and Brian out of the room, and was unsurprised when Brian put an arm around both her and Betsy's shoulders while they walked to the only door that led to the hallway to the main house. "Ah still don't know how t' thank ya'll for everythin'," she added, giving the twins a smile.

"Well, funny you should say that," Brian asked, as he suddenly turned them towards a different door, one that led to the special building that was exclusively for Excalibur members, which Rogue was not. "You see, we've been getting requests from higher up to bring in more members. We already approached Mystique, and she's said she'd be happy to help. I think she was getting bored, even thought she loves all the time she gets to have with you." Brian allowed Betsy to use the palm and retina scanners to get them into the building, then steered Rogue towards a brightly lit area where she could see the team's uniforms in glassed lockers. Stopping in front of one she knew didn't belong to anyone currently on the team, Brian smiled down at her. "So...I know it would be temporary, but while you're here, you think you're up to helping us save the world?"

Rogue stared for a few moments at the uniform, so different from the dark gray and green of her X-men uniform, then looked up at Brian, a broad smile on her face. It would feel good to be useful again, she knew. "Where do Ah sign up?" she asked, and got a responding hug from both twins.

"You let us worry about that, luv," Betsy assured her. "You'll need to get some weapons training from Lucas, so that you have a way other than strictly hand-to-hand combat to defend yourself. But we'll fit that into the schedule. For now, try on the uniform! I remembered seeing some ideas you had in your head for what you'd do if you could design your own," she added, smiling.

Rogue ran a finger over the material, smirking. "Looks bettah in real life than it did in mah head," she said, glancing back at the twins. "Ya'll got a camera? Ah'm gonna want t' send a picture o' this back t' Kitty. She'll be jealous as hell."

**Xavier Mansion, Dining Room, next day, 8:30 AM - **

"Like, did anyone else get an email from Rogue last night?" Kitty asked, taking her place at the table for breakfast, placing a piece of paper face down beside her.

"No," Kurt said, a frown on his face. "Vhy?"

"I didn't get anything either," Scott said, the only other person besides Kurt or Kitty who Rogue would likely communicate with. "So, what did she send you?"

"Well, she told me I could like, tell you guys for her, but I didn't know if anyone else, like got the email too," Kitty began, even as she stretched out the paper she had brought with her. "Rogue got asked to, like, join Excalibur while she's there. She sent me a picture of the uniform they, like, made for her. Its a design she totally came up with herself like back during her Brotherhood days."

Taking the photo, Kurt and Scott looked at it together, while a few others abandoned their chairs to look. The photo was a very clear shot of Rogue, clad in a pair of skin-tight black pants of an unknown material, while her top was an X-shape that left a fair amount of skin bared. Around her waist was a utility belt that had a holster for a gun or gun-like weapon on each hip, a pair of thigh-high black high-heeled boots and a black bomber jacket completed the ensemble. On her hands was the biggest surprise, because the gloves had no fingers on them, and instead only covered her palms.

"Apparently, like, she decided that was better than, like, her one here. Captain Britain was totally surprised you guys had her totally covered, since, like, if she wasn't able to get her gloves off, she like was totally defenseless unless someone touched her face." As the photo got passed around, Kitty observed peoples' reactions so she could pass it on to Rogue. "I'm so, like, jealous," Kitty added, "I always, like, wanted to design my own uniform."

Frowning, Scott glanced up at her. "You helped design yours didn't you?"

"Yeah, helped...but all of our uniforms are kinda similar and I'm sorry, but like, they aren't really that great."

"Why do you think I ditched the uniform for my Sirens outfit?" Tabby asked, smirking. "Way sexier, and totally me!"

"Yeah, totally stupid," Jubilee said, who was still upset she had been left out of the whole 'Bayville Sirens' thing.

Before an argument could break out, Ororo took the photo from the students who had all seen it now and brought it up to the other end of the table where the adults were. "Well, it is different," she observed. "And it does make sense her baring so much skin," she added, passing the photo off to Hank and Logan.

Logan grunted, not sure he liked the way the uniform showed off so much, but he could understand the practicality of it. "Least she'll be keepin' in shape," he said after a moment, "girl's a good fighter...hate t' see 'er loose it cause she wasn't practicin'."

It was hard to say who laughed first, Scott or Kitty. "Like, Mr. Logan," Kitty said, trying to stop laughing. "This is _Rogue_ we're talking about...you, like, know how fanatical she is about training!"

Scott nodded in agreement. "I think she's the only one of all of us who never complained about all the DR sessions and extra training you gave her."

Logan just gave another grunt, even as he added more bacon to his plate. "Well, she had talent," he said after swallowing a bite of fried egg. "Damn best hand-to-hand combat out of all of ya."

"Gee thanks," someone muttered from where the New Mutants were sitting, but the voice was so muffled no one could tell who said it.

"Just for that, you all can have a surprise session this afternoon," Logan said with a smirk as he heard the groans.

Ignoring the New Mutants, Kitty continued talking as if there had been no interruptions. "Rogue also said they plan on, like, having her do some weapons training, since they know she like totally hates using her powers all the time."

A few forks clattered against plates at that announcement, including the Professor's. "Weapons training?" the Professor asked.

"Like stun guns and some non-lethal stuff," Kitty assured him, though she actually wasn't totally sure since Rogue hadn't specified. "Or I think so anyway, she like, wouldn't want to use a real gun, right?"

Logan remembered what had been said about Excalibur thus far in the closed-door meetings between the adults, and glanced at the Professor. "Chuck, ya know those kids get different orders than we give. In some cases they might be asked to use deadly force."

Disconcerted, the Professor nodded absently. "I suppose you're right, Logan. They _are_ asked to deal with situations and opponents I would never send the X-men into battle with. Its still unnerving to think of one of our students being asked to do such a thing while she's there, however."

Ororo reached over and gave the Professor's hand a brief squeeze to reassure him. "If Rogue is uncomfortable with what they ask of her, you know Dr. McTaggert would not allow them to force the issue. She's well aware of how delicate Rogue's mental state can be."

Nodding again, this time more confidently, Charles gave his old friend a brief smile. "Of course," he said, his tone more steady now. Glancing at the students who had been watching the conversation worriedly, he did his best to give them a reassuring look, which seemed to soothe the nerves of most of them immediately. "My apologies. I let my mind wonder to the worst case scenario."

Scott, Kitty and Kurt seemed a bit skeptical still, but turned back to their own meals, making conversation between themselves. As they were really the few students who still had a kind word to say about Rogue, whenever she was the topic of conversation, most of the girls in particular would avoid talking to them. For some reason, after Jean's latest power surge, Jubilee, Amara and Tabby had decided that it was Rogue who was to blame. They maintained that until Rogue decided to actively pursue (and they refused to think that it had been a mutual thing between Scott and Rogue) her long-time crush, Jean had been perfectly fine emotionally. It did little to help with the guilt Scott already felt, especially when Ray and Roberto had sided with the girls. Bobby and Jamie however called their fellow New Mutants crazy, and would ardently defend Rogue and her honor any time the topic came up around them.

Jean had no obvious feelings on the topic, at least none that were discussed in the company of the others. If she was discussing the way she felt about her break-up with Scott, she was either confiding in the Professor or perhaps Ororo, neither of whom were prone to gossip like idle school children. Because of her increased training, Jean rarely had free time to be around the others anymore, and after her freak out in the danger room, no longer trained with everyone else. She finally had some sort of understanding of how Rogue must have felt, both when her powers went out of control, and when Mesmero had taken over her, making it easier for the red-head to understand why Rogue had jumped at the chance to go to Muir Island. It was a very scary thing to realize how close you had come to injuring or possibly killing those you cared about most, with no intent on your part.

Lost in her own thoughts, Jean began to push food around her plate, and completely missed most of the others leaving the dining room. It wasn't until she felt a hand on her shoulder that she finally came back to the present, and looked to see who was there. Rather than Scott, as she had half expected, it was Kitty, who upon gaining the red-head's notice, reminded her they had kitchen duty that morning. Nodding, she assured the petite brunette she'd join her in the kitchen shortly, then hastily consumed a bit more of her breakfast, knowing that with her metabolism, she'd be starving come lunch otherwise.

"You look like hell," a masculine voice said, startling Jean into looking up. When her green eyes had focused, she was surprised to find Alex standing on the other side of the table from her.

"Oh...hi Alex," she replied, brushing some of her red hair out of her face. A bit of a blush stained her cheeks as what he had said sunk in, and she averted her gaze. "I'm sure I do. Its...been difficult to get much sleep lately."

Pulling out the chair across from her, Alex sat down. "Yeah?" he asked, a mild concern in his expression. "I thought the Prof was helpin' ya?"

"If he uses his powers to help me sleep too much, it can make things worse," Jean said, pushing her plate to one side. "Otherwise I'd have no problems."

"Oh..." Alex said, and in a move that was eerily similar to his brother, rubbed at the back of his neck in a nervous habit. "I wasn't going to bother you," he explained, having noticed her looking at him curiously. "But you seemed really down and...well...had the whole damsel in distress look going on."

Surprised by his words, Jean paused. "I did?" was all she could think to ask or say.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I know you've had a lot going on," Alex said, hoping he wasn't offending the red-head. "But its kinda starting to show...and...hell...I'm no good at talking to girls," he said, laughing at himself.

Jean smiled. "You're fine," she assured him. "I can barely stand to look in the mirror of a morning," she admitted, "But I appreciate you even coming in to check on me."

"It's nothing," Alex stated, even as he allowed a smile to form on his lips. "But I figure with everyone else getting busy trying to do all their school stuff, someone should make sure you're okay." He glanced up as he heard the phone ring, then looked to Jean. "Is someone going to get that, or?"

"I'll get it," Jean told him, walking over to the phone. Noting the caller ID, she smiled as she answered. "Hello?"

"Jean?" A familiar voice came across the line, and Jean was stunned at how happy Rogue sounded to hear it was her. "How are you?" There was nothing but genuine concern in Rogue's voice, making Jean remember that she had not talked to the Southern girl since she had moved to Muir Island.

Glancing at Alex she smiled apologetically, then motioned that she was going to go somewhere else to talk on the phone. When Alex shook his head and gestured to the door, indicating he would leave, she gave him a grateful look, even as she replied to Rogue. "I'm...I'm okay," she said, waving briefly to Alex as he left the room. "I haven't had a break-down in a few weeks, so I'm considering that improvement."

"Ya sound like ya ain't sleepin too well," Rogue said gently.

"I'm not. How on earth do you deal with it?" Jean asked, knowing Rogue was one person who could understand what she was going through.

"Well, that's where some of mah music comes from," the Southerner admitted. "Othah times...well...there's a reason Ah'd work out so much. It's hard t' fight sleep when you've worn your body plum out."

Nodding, Jean smiled though Rogue couldn't see it. "I don't think I'd be much at writing like you are, but I do like sculpting," she mused. "Perhaps that would soothe me."

There was a brief pause, then Rogue's voice came across the line again. "Its not gonna get easiah," she told the red-head. "If anythin...it'll get hardah first. But ya got people there ya can count on...somethin' Ah neglected a lot." Another pause had Jean about to speak, when Rogue added one last statement. "Everyone there loves you, Jean, one way or anothah. Maybe it ain't th' love o' ya life, like ya thought ya had, but they still love you..."

Tears began to roll down Jean's cheeks, and she sunk into a nearby chair. "I...I..."

"Ah know," came the simple reply.

For a minute or two, the line was silent as Rogue allowed Jean to compose herself. When the tears were dried, and Jean felt she could speak again, she took a breath. "Thank you, Rogue. It...it means a lot, you saying that."

"Its somethin' that was pointed out t' meh when Ah got heah," Rogue admitted. "Somethin' Ah know Ah nevah thought about when Ah was there. Figured ya could learn from mah mistake, and appreciate what ya have there."

Jean smiled softly. "You still have all of us, Rogue. You always will. Its like you've said...we're family."

"Ah know," Rogue said. "But its different when Ah'm an ocean away."

"I bet," Jean replied. "How is everything going anyhow? Kitty told us this morning about you being asked to join the team there."

"Yeah. Surprised th' hell outta meh, actually." There was a pause, then Rogue's voice came across the line again. "Ah'm actually supposed t' do some weapon training tomorrow, and Ah'll start training with th' rest of th' team too."

"Kitty did say something about weapon training...it kind of freaked out everyone, to be honest."

"Its just with a stun gun," Rogue said, and Jean knew her well enough to assume Rogue was probably rolling her eyes. "At least for now. They know Ah ain't comfortable with th' idea o' anythin' else."

"Wait...so they'd ask you to carry a real gun?" Jean asked, startled.

"No. They'd make it available if that's what Ah preferred...Ah'm actually thinkin' of workin' towards usin' a plasma gun...would be like Scott's beams, but on medium power. Wouldn't be deadly, but would sure as hell stop someone from comin' at meh quick."

"Really? A plasma gun? Where on earth do they get these things? I've never even heard of that before."

"Ya forget Excalibur is government and military funded," Rogue reminded her. "They get all th' cool stuff. Even their SIM room is leaps an' bounds beyond th' Danger Room at th' mansion."

"Wow," Jean said, even as she glanced up to see Kitty and Kurt standing in the doorway. Beckoning them forward, she smiled. "Kitty and Kurt just came in, did you want to say hi?"

"Ah spoke t' Kitty yesterday for a good bit, but Ah barely got t' talk to Kurt...so if he ain't headin' out or anything..."

"One second. It was really good to talk to you," she added.

"You too, Red."

Smiling again, she handed the phone of to Kurt who was giving her a confused look. "Its Rogue," she told him, and was rewarded by him putting the phone to his ear and giving an enthusiastic "Schwester!"

Jean got up from her chair, intending to leave Kurt to talk to his sister, when Kitty reminded her of their kitchen duty. "Oh, I nearly forgot!" Jean said, and moved to follow Kitty into the kitchen.

Glancing back, Jean noticed Alex standing at the doorway to the dining room smiling at her. Giving him a brief smile of thanks for their talk earlier, she had a brief thought that perhaps things would get better after all.

**Xavier Mansion – 30 minutes later – Kitchen -**

As he entered from the garage, Scott was bombarded by the sound of Kurt and Kitty laughing, along with a voice he hadn't thought he'd hear today echoing from the speakerphone. "Lawd, Ah miss ya'll!"

"Rogue?" he said, startled, absently noting that Jean was also seated at the table with Kurt and Kitty, apparently part of the conversation.

"Hey Sugah!" was Rogue's immediate response. "Ah was hopin' ya'd be around!"

"I thought you couldn't call today?" he asked, sitting down at the table with his friends.

"Yeah, a bad storm rolled in ovah night, so Brian canceled our trip. Finally managed t' get some time alone, so figured Ah'd call an' see who was around. Though Ah thought with it bein' a Sunday there'd be more than just ya'll four around."

"Gee thanks," Kitty said, smiling. "We like, love ya too, Rogue."

Rogue gave a brief laugh. "Well, Ah've talked for a good half hour with ya'll...ya mind if Scott an' Ah talk for a while?"

The three gave Scott an amused look as he got a broad smile on his face. "Like, I guess, if we have to," Kitty said.

"Ja...I'm glad I got to talk to you, meine Schwester!"

"Ah'm glad Ah got t' talk to you too, lil' brothah."

"You take care, Rogue," was Jean's goodbye.

"You too, Jean...An' remembah what Ah said..." Rogue's voice was so caring it apparently took Kitty and Kurt by surprise as well as Scott, because all three of them stared at the phone for a moment.

"I will," Jean assured her, even as she and Kitty rose to finish up the last of the dishes in the sink.

Grabbing the cordless, Scott turned off the speaker phone and waved briefly at his friends as he left the kitchen for his room to talk to his lover.

**Xavier Mansion – 3 days later – 3:30 PM -**

As Alex wandered the halls of the mansion, bored out of his skull, he found himself thinking of the Sunday morning when he had come across Jean alone in the dining room. She had looked very vulnerable, and...scared? No, scared wasn't the right word. Alone? Well, no one could claim he was a doctor, or good at reading people's emotions...especially girls. Yet something about her had reached out to him, making him want to comfort her. Of the two Summers brothers, Scott was the one who knew how to handle distraught females, not Alex. So why was it that even now, he found himself looking for her without meaning to, wanting to check on her, make sure she was okay? Perhaps it was a bizarre case of him wanting to do what his brother could not, since Scott's guilt kept him trying to both avoid Jean and help her at the same time.

Passing by the library for probably the third time during his wanderings, Alex happened to spy the very red-head he had been half looking for ever since he heard the others get home from school. He was not yet enrolled in Bayville High, but the Professor assured him he'd be able to start by mid-next week at the latest. As if he was too concerned about that, Alex thought, rolling his eyes. Entering the library, Alex watched as Jean got progressively more frustrated with whatever she was working on, to the point she balled up the sheet of paper she was writing on and threw it in the direction of a nearby trash bin. The balled up paper bounced twice on the rim, then fell to the floor next to two or three other balls.

"She shoots, she misses," Alex teased, seeing the strain on her face and hoping to alleviate it.

Jean's head spun quickly to look at him, having not sensed him near, then she grabbed at her neck, a muscle twinge making her regret the quick moment. "Ow!" she muttered, rubbing at the sore spot, even as Alex moved quickly to squat down next to her.

"Sorry," he said hastily, reaching up so that one of his hands hovered over where she was rubbing. "I didn't mean to startle you so bad...you okay?"

"I will be," she assured him, lowering her hand and noting he did the same. "What brings you to the library?" she asked, pulling a clean sheet of lined paper to her so she could start again on her homework.

"Well..." Alex hesitated, wondering if it was weird he had fixated so on his brother's ex-girlfriend. Lowering himself into a chair near her, he rubbed at the back of his neck, a nervous gesture he and his brother had in common. "I was just walking around kinda aimlessly, and uh...I saw you in here. Ya looked really pissed off with that homework," he joked for a moment, then any trace of amusement fell from his face. "You...you seem to get angry a lot lately," he admitted. "I just wondered if I could help?"

Alex's face was such a mix of concern and hope that Jean had to smile, feeling some of the rage that seemed omnipresent these days fade. "You are helping," she told him, then glanced at her homework. "Its just these essays," she added, glaring at the book for one of her many classes required to begin training to become a Doctor, her chosen profession.

Alex too looked at the book, and grimaced at the title. It was one of those long, drawn out ones that makes you want to sleep before you even crack the cover. "Jeez, makes me glad my mission in life is just to be the best surfer ever," he half joked, earning him another smile from Jean. "I'd be out like a light with the first sentence of that thing!" He tilted his head as his gaze returned to the red-head. "So...when is this essay due?"

"Not for a few weeks, but I knew it would be difficult, so I thought I'd start on it today," Jean admitted. "Something I'm starting to regret." Idly rubbing at her temples, she sighed. "It doesn't help that I have a headache that isn't going away, or that...well...I can feel another flare up coming on," she said softly, using the term for the times when her powers would have a minor episode that was containable. "I really should probably be in the Danger Room, but Logan was in there, and..."

"Hey, no apologies," Alex insisted. Thinking hard of a way to help the red-head, he got a wicked grin. "I know a way you can chill out..."

As Alex had little to no mental shields yet, Jean picked up on his idea right away, and had to admit, it sounded glorious. It was irresponsible, wild, and very much not something the Perfect Jean Grey would do under normal circumstances. However, the past few months had been anything but normal for her, and had left her craving something that until now she hadn't been able to define. For once in her teen life, Jean Grey wanted to let loose, and have the sort of fun 'goody-goodies' like her did not participate in. So, with a broad smile, Jean nodded at him. "Its perfect," she informed Alex, surprising him. With a tap of her head, she winked at him. "Telepath, remember?"

"When?" was all Alex bothered to ask, figuring she was picking up on the rest of the details from his mind anyway.

"Tonight?"

"Okay," Alex said, grinning. "After curfew or before?"

"Umm...before?" Jean said, uncertain.

"Meh, we'll figure it out," Alex added, laughing. "So I'll catch ya later, yeah?"

"Of course."

When Alex left the library, he had a skip in his step, and couldn't stop grinning. He had managed to cheer up a girl, for the first time in his life...and better, it was a girl like Jean. Man, that nearly topped catching a good wave.

**Xavier Mansion, same day, 11PM - **

Trying to sneak out of the mansion was certainly harder than she had thought, Jean mused as she hid from Ororo, who was heading to her own room. Ever since her conversation with Alex earlier, the flare up she had felt coming on had died out before it ever happened, taking her headache with it much to her surprise. Something about the younger Summers brother had soothed her nerves and rage, allowing her to get some of her homework done before dinner. Now, however, she had to sneak past a man with enhanced senses, AND a fellow telepath. Wonderful. But the thought of what Alex had planned reminded her she _needed _this, needed to get out for a while. With renewed determination, Jean managed to make it all the way to the kitchen without being caught. Just as she was about to go to the garage, a voice halted her progress.

"Jean?"

It was the Professor, the one person she didn't want to encounter. Turning, she saw him there, already dressed for bed in his long pajamas and robe. His expression wasn't really one of confusion, but she could sense he was at least a bit curious. "Oh...Professor...I..."

A vague smile formed on the Professor's lips, and he gave a soft sigh. "You'll be careful?" he asked, surprising her further.

"What?" Jean hesitated, her hand on the knob of the door that led to the garage.

"You thought you were the only one picking up on young Mr. Summers' thoughts this afternoon?" he asked gently.

"Well...actually..." Jean began, then realized how stupid that was. Of course the Professor had picked up on it, Alex had been projecting his thoughts, not just idly thinking them. "I feel rather stupid now," she admitted.

"Don't," he reassured her, moving forward a bit. "I have been struggling to help you these past few months, and I can tell how hard it is on you," Xavier said, another sigh escaping him. "If you must do this, which it seems to me you feel you must, I only ask that you are careful, and that you take your comm unit with you."

Thankful that he understood, Jean leaned down and hugged the man she cared so much for. He was almost like a second father, or perhaps a highly favored grandfather...her thoughts of him varied as she herself aged. "Thank you," she murmured at his ear, knowing she had a comm unit in her car she could grab on her way out.

Hugging her back, the Professor gave another vague smile. "And do not forget the party this weekend," he reminded her. "I know Rogue is looking forward to seeing all of us."

"I won't," she assured him. "I want to see her too."

Nodding, he moved his chair back once they had released each other. "Again, I urge you to be careful," Xavier murmured.

"I promise, we will be," Jean said, then turned, exiting into the garage where she found Alex waiting for her next to his brother's prized convertible. Closing the door behind her, she raised an eyebrow. "Did you ask Scott if you could borrow his car?"

"Yeah," Alex said, swinging the keys on a finger before opening the passenger door for her.

"He actually said yes?"

"Well...to be honest, he thinks its just for a couple hours, and that I'm taking it tomorrow afternoon, but whatever," Alex replied, shrugging. "He won't be too mad though, I mean I'm his lil bro." He gave her a disarming smile, then went around to start the car.

Once they were both settled, Alex gave Jean a mad grin. "Baja here we come!"

**Muir Island – Excalibur Building – Restricted Access – 2 days later - 10AM -**

"I'm nae sure this was a good idea," Sean began, looking over the dossier on the two newest members of Excalibur. Brian had called a private meeting between the team, minus Rogue and Mystique, to discuss the fact that they were now members. "I'm not sure I like th' idea o' a power leech standin' next t' me with skin showin' when th' lass has nae control."

"I'm working with her on that," Betsy began, frowning.

"She's a really good fighter," Lorna added, scowling at Sean. She and Rogue had started to form a good friendship, bonding initially over their unusual hair. "And I'd rather her on my side than that Shape-shifter."

"I'm just askin' why we could'nae have waited 'til the lass had some sense o' control," Sean protested, even as he pulled Mystique's paper closer for another look. "Raven makes sense, _she_ has full control o' her power, is extremely well versed in combat, an' does nae require special attention t' make sure accidents don't happen."

Nate scoffed. "Other than having to make sure she doesn't randomly kill someone, you mean."

Lucas frowned at the others from his chair. "Well, Rogue certainly won't be a liability in the field," he began, having been the one who started Rogue on her combat training for the team. "She managed to floor me in our first hand-to-hand combat session, and is picking up quickly on the use of firearms. The only 'wild card' aspect about her is her powers, and she's so used to dealing with them I really don't foresee any issues."

Sean glanced to Tessa. "Your opinions, lass?" he asked, hoping at least one person in the room might back him up on this.

Adjusting a pair of special sunglasses over her blue eyes, Tessa took a moment to answer. "Rogue is a very powerful mutant, and while her powers are currently outside of her control, as Lucas pointed out, she is almost scared of them. Her combat prowess makes her an asset, despite this. The last thing you need to worry about, Sean, is her accidentally touching you. Unless, of course, she is thrown at you by one of our opponents, but that would not constitute an accident on her part." Tessa paused, then pierced him with a look as she lowered the sunglasses. "And for the last time, please refrain from calling me 'lass."

Brian gave a brief chuckle at the look on Sean's face, then looked back to Tessa. "Your analysis of Raven?"

"Her Shape-shifting ability is practically invaluable in undercover assignments, and due to her age, which we can still only estimate, has an incredible knowledge as well. Her combat skills are varied, and well honed, meaning she is also an asset in other assignments as well. All in all, a valuable asset to any team." Tessa took a moment to neaten the papers in front of her that she already had memorized. "However, her terrorist ideals may pose a problem in various missions in the future, and is something we will need to watch closely. Raven _is _committed to 'turning over a new leaf' as the saying goes, for the sake of her children and knows it is the only way she will be in their lives. It won't be something she will do over night, no matter how hard she tries."

As some of the team nodded, Nate rolled his eyes. "Lets just call it what it is. We gained two good members who both come with their own set of issues and strengths. I mean honestly, you guys didn't kick me out just because I'm basically a walking atom-bomb waiting for a reason to go off," he only half joked. "Either way I think our gain was a big loss for the X-men."

Betsy sighed. "Indeed, and I think they already regret it."

Brian turned to his twin, curious. "What do you mean?"

"Rogue confided in me that apparently when they were told of her joining and receiving weapons training, the adults there weren't happy with the idea. Mind you, this information is second hand, from Rogue's friend Shadowcat, but the young girl reported to Rogue that Xavier in particular seemed disturbed by the idea of her in weapons training." Betsy paused, stretching out her legs under the massive wood and glass table. "It was only when Storm reminded him we wouldn't ask her to do anything she wasn't comfortable with that he calmed at all."

"So...what? They think we'd ask her to kill someone?" Brian asked, frowning deeply. "She's still innocent, despite her powers and what they do."

"You forget, dear brother, that they don't know _us _at all, other than whatever Xavier's files say. Having seen that Dossier Rogue was given on us, if that's all he had on us, it makes sense he'd worry. Plus, we're a military organization, or military funded anyhow. He has no control over what orders we receive when we go on assignments, and the fact that one of his pupils is now expected to follow those orders as well doesn't sit well with someone as humanitarian as Xavier."

Lucas and Brian shared a look, before Lucas spoke up. "Rogue may be an X-man as well, but its clear to me, in what little she and I have spoken, that her ideals are not as set in stone as Xavier would like to believe."

At long last, Emma leaned forward, having been a bystander for all of the conversation up to this point; a rarity for her. "The girl embraced Xavier's dream because he accepted her into his home with no reservations, and he promised to help her with his powers. Having seen her mind, she knows far too well that peace between mutants and humans won't be won strictly in courts and government buildings." Studying her nails, Emma smirked. "It will be interesting to see how he reacts to her embracing _our _lifestyle, as she already has."

Groaning, Brian ran a hand over his face. "Emma, the last thing we need is a public confrontation with the X-men. Or a private one for that matter. Please, promise me you won't cause extra trouble, as I know you love to do. Just this once?"

Emma sighed, then raised her blue eyes to meet Brian's. "Fine. But I'm not happy about this, darling."

Brian smirked. "Of course you're not." He glanced at the others. "Anyone else have something to add about our new additions?"

Sean grumbled something else, still unhappy about Rogue being part of the team, but was generally ignored since his primary argument had been shut down repeatedly.

From his spot, the furthest away from Brian, Neal Shaara leaned forward. "Other than I'm glad we have more girls here?" he asked, smirking. "OW!" he exclaimed, rubbing his arm and looking to his left where Lorna Dane was grinning at him.

"Still glad there's more girls?" she asked.

Laughing, Brian moved to stand. "Well, then I suppose we should let you girls get off to London so you have time to buy out plenty of stores," he teased, knowing they were finally going to go get their dresses for the gala that weekend.

"Oh, we intend to," Emma assured him, stretching her arms over her head. These meetings were always so tedious to her.

"Remind me why I am required to come with you?" Tessa asked, glancing at the other ladies.

"Because you're a girl, you have a great figure, and you need a dress to showcase it?" Lorna replied, smirking.

"Hmm..." Was Tessa's only response.

**London, 4PM -**

Rogue looked over the dress selections of yet another expensive shop, annoyed that she still hadn't found a dress for the party. Oh, she had purchased quite a few things for her wardrobe, but the perfect dress still eluded her. Glancing at another rack, she pushed aside a few over-frilly pink dresses to get a better look at a more simple dress in a deep wine color. Pulling it out to examine it further, she didn't even flinch when Betsy placed a hand on her shoulder as she too took a look at the dress.

"Oh la la," Emma murmured as she came over to have a look as well. "Simple, yet very elegant." She reached out and took a brief glance at the price tag and designer name. "Hmm, quite reasonable for one of his creations actually," she added.

Running a finger over the exceptionally fine silk, she glanced at Emma and Betsy. "Shall Ah try it on then?"

"Of course!" was Emma's immediate response.

With a single nod, Rogue made her way over to one of the many changing rooms she and the girls had claimed. After slipping off the plain jade green dress she had been wearing, to make changing clothes easier, Rogue slid the wine colored one off its hanger and stepped into it. It hugged every curve of her figure, and as she slid the thin rhinestone straps onto her shoulders had to admire the heart-shaped neckline that plunged in between her generous breasts while still covering them. Glancing behind her, she moved the curtain aside to allow Betsy to zip up the side for her. Once that was done, she stepped out in front of the three-way mirror, and allowed the other girls to critique.

"Oh my," was all Lorna could seem to say, and she swept forward, taking Rogue's auburn hair and doing it into a quick bun. "You'd have to wear your hair up..." she informed the Southerner. "It just wouldn't look right otherwise."

Nodding in agreement, Emma smiled. "Its absolutely perfect, darling. Do you have any shoes to go with it?"

Frowning, Rogue glanced down at her bare feet, and tried to think if she had anything that would go. "Um...Actually no," she admitted. "Unless you'd let meh get away with wearing boots," she teased.

"Absolutely not," Betsy replied. "We'll find you a good pair of heels, luv, don't you worry."

"Ah'm in London, shoppin' with you an' Emma. Ah know bettah than t' worry about somethin' silly like not havin' th' right pair o' shoes for an occasion."

It was then that Raven came in from another shop, and stopped dead upon seeing her daughter. After taking a moment to recover, she walked forward and stood just behind Rogue, the better to admire the full effect of the dress in the mirror. "Absolutely beautiful," was all she had to say on the matter, reaching out to gently squeeze Rogue's shoulder. The two were still working through their issues, with some mediation from Betsy and Emma, but already Rogue was more willing to accept contact from her adopted mother.

Smiling softly, Rogue glanced over to Tessa, the only one now who had not picked out a dress. "Sugah, ya th' only one holdin' us up," she teased.

Expressionless as ever, Tessa walked over to a rack, pulled out a dress in raven black and held it up. "This will suffice," she assured them.

The other girls couldn't help but laugh. Leave it to the woman with a computerized brain to only have to look at one store and one rack of said store to find the perfect dress. Where was the fun in that?

**Muir Island – Day of the Gala – 2PM - **

Tonight was the big night, Rogue mused as she sat before a vanity, pulling her auburn hair into a bun similar to how she had worn it the night of her going away party. Her beautiful dress hung nearby, still in its plastic, waiting for her to put it on, while on the floor was a pair of high-heeled sandals in an identical color to her dress. As she worked on getting ready, Rogue couldn't help but recall the last time she had seen her family with her own two eyes, and felt a familiar pang of homesickness.

**Flashback – Day of Rogue's departure from Bayville – **

_**Xavier's Mansion – Hanger – 8:00 AM – **_

_It was a rare feat during the summer months to see all of the residents of the mansion up and finished with breakfast before 8am, but on this Monday morning, it was accomplished with minutes to spare. Hank and Logan had just finished putting the last boxes into the back of the Blackbird, and now Logan, the chosen pilot for this flight, was in the process of double checking that the huge plane was ready for its long trip. Outside in the hanger, Rogue was in the middle of saying her final goodbyes, while those accompanying her stood off to one side talking quietly. To say that the X-men had been shocked that Rogue had asked her adopted Mother to move to the island on short notice was an understatement. None the less, Raven had managed to pack the few belongings she knew she couldn't replace (a lone photo of Kurt as a baby, a newer photo of Rogue and Kurt together, and some miscellaneous items) into a suitcase, and seemed happy to be going. Kurt had been a bit put out at first that Rogue had asked their mother, but not him, until Rogue had pulled him aside and had a talk with him. No one knew what she had said, but it had certainly placated her little brother._

"_Like, I am so gonna miss you!" Kitty exclaimed as she pulled Rogue in for another hug, her fifth of the morning. Her pretty face was stained with tears, and no one could count the number of tissues the poor girl had gone through already._

_Hugging the petite girl back, Rogue smiled. "Ah know, Kit..." She could have been sarcastic, made a comment on how much Kitty had told her that this past week, but she didn't. "Ah'm gonna miss you too."_

_As Kitty pulled back, she gave Rogue a watery smile. "You, like, had so better write to us and call!"_

"_Ah said Ah would," Rogue reminded. "Ah nevah break a promise if Ah c'n help it, you know that."_

"_Yeah, like, I know," Kitty said as she sniffled and released Rogue._

_Lance pulled the surprised Goth into a hug. "You take care, or Kitty is gonna be pissed," he teased her, earning a smile._

"_Don't Ah know it," Rogue replied, casting a wry look at Kitty who didn't look the least bit ashamed. "Ya take o' yaself too, Lance," she said, giving him a serious look._

"_I will," he assured her, then stepped aside to let Pietro and Fred say their goodbyes. The forth Brotherhood member, Todd, stayed back, though he did give a wave. He had always maintained that Rogue was crazier than even Wanda, and she was probably the one person in the entire mansion he would avoid pissing off at all costs._

"_You take care o' ya sistah," Rogue warned Pietro after he had hugged her, earning her a sheepish look. "Ah mean it, Speedy."_

"_Okay, okay," he said in a rush, but his sapphire eyes focused on her for a long moment. "Just tell her not to hex me at the same time, please?"_

_Laughing, Rogue glanced over at her fellow Goth. "Ya think ya c'n manage t' not hex him?"_

_Wanda considered her brother, then smirked. "So long as he honestly behaves," she said at last, giving a one-armed shrug._

"_That sound fair?"_

_Pietro nodded so quick it would have given anyone else a crick in their neck. "I can do that."_

"_Good." Turning her attention to Fred, she hesitated. It would be far too weird to hug him, so instead she patted his arm. When he responded with a rare smile, Rogue felt some better. She had no words for the big young man, so instead, moved on to Wanda, who enveloped her in a hug instantly. Hearing Wanda sniffle had Rogue beginning to tear up. "Damn ya Wanda, ya said ya weren't gonna cry!" she protested. "Ya know it makes meh cry too!"_

"_Sorry," Wanda apologized. "I just can't help it. You're the only one here who doesn't constantly drive me crazy!"_

_Both girls burst into laughter at that, and pulled back to smile at each other through the tears. "Well, ya gonna have t' figure somethin' out then...Don't want ya goin' crazy!"_

"_Isn't she already?" Pietro said, then slapped his hands over his mouth. When both Goths glared at him, he hid behind Lance and Fred. "Whoops!" He shot his sister an honestly apologetic look. "Sorry, sis."_

_Giving a satisfied nod, Wanda turned back to Rogue. "Its going to be so weird having a room to myself again."_

_Rogue smiled as she wiped at her own tears, glad she had gone without makeup that morning. She gave Wanda one last hug, then pulled away again. "You'll get used t' it," she replied._

_Before Wanda could reply, St. John came up and grabbed Rogue in an exuberant hug. "Sheila, its gonna be dull as hell without ya here t' shake things up!"_

_Surprised, Rogue gave a shriek that had Scott and Remy taking a step in her direction before they realized what was going on. "Damn it, put me down ya crazy Aussie!" she laughed, having grown fond of the boy. "And ya cause enough trouble yaself, so I doubt things will get too borin'," she reminded him._

"_True, true," he replied, finally lowering her so her feet could touch the ground again. "But people 'round here respond different to you," he insisted with a wide grin._

"_That's cause they nevah c'n tell if Ah'm honestly crazy or just fakin," Rogue informed him. "With ya, they know you're crazy."_

_Releasing her, he laughed. "So that's your secret!" he exclaimed. "Is it too late t' convince em I ain't gone 'round th' bend?"_

"_Far too late," she said, patting his head as he gave a pout. "But don't worry...th' crazy ones have th' most fun so Ah'm told."_

"_So you're told?" Bobby teased from behind her, causing Rogue to spin to face him. "I thought you knew that personally!"_

_Laughing, Rogue pulled Bobby into a hug. "You're lucky Ah'm not in th' mood to take someone's head off IceBoy!"_

"_Its IceMAN!" he insisted, making everyone laugh, even as he pulled away from her to pout. "Honestly, why can't you remember that?"_

"_Cause ya ain't a man yet, Bobby," she said. Ruffling his hair, she gave him a genuine smile. "But ya workin' on it."_

"_Thanks," he muttered, but smiled at her anyhow._

"_Who is gonna put him in his place when you're gone?" Jubilee asked, causing Rogue to turn to her for a quick hug._

"_Well Ah guess its up t' Wanda," Rogue said, casting a wry smile at her friend. "Or ya could try."_

_Jubilee thought on it for a moment, then glanced at Wanda. "I think Wanda would do a better job," she admitted. "I always just end up shooting sparks at him, and he laughs."_

_Wanda got a wicked smile on her face. "Oh, I can certainly do a better job than that!"_

_Bobby went pale and looked to Rogue. "Don't go!" he begged, dropping to his knees. "At least you I know won't try and kill me!"_

_As everyone laughed, Rogue caught Logan looking at the clock. They had a 5-6 hour flight ahead of them, and she knew he was itching to get going. But how could she possibly hurry? She still had her brother and the others to say goodbye to. Forcing a smile, she patted Bobby on the head. Instantly the mood changed, people having picked up on the change in her mood. Realizing this, she sighed and glared at Logan. "Ya had t' go and start clock watchin' didn't ya?"_

_Logan just looked at her passively. "Ya know how long the flight is, Kid. And its already afternoon there."_

_Rogue rolled her eyes. "Ya a real pain in th' ass sometimes, ya know that Wolvie?" she asked, putting a hand on her hip as she looked at him._

_Logan gave a dry laugh, then turned to go back into the jet, making no further comment. When Stripes was in this kind of mood, he had found it best to let her vent it out elsewhere. Much as he favored her, he could certainly do without that sass of hers._

_Turning back, Rogue went ahead and hurried through saying goodbye to Ray and Roberto, whom she wasn't as close to, before taking an extra second to hug Sam. Again there wasn't anything to be said, despite the fact she thought Sam was a sweet kid, so she gave Amara and Tabitha the hugs they were expecting, and finally turned to the people she was hating to say goodbye to the most. Her eyes became suspiciously damp as she looked at the others who had been part of the 'original' team with her these past two years._

_Evan...or as she preferred to call him, Porcupine. Their styles were so different, and with his slacker attitude, they butted heads more often than not. It hadn't been until she accidentally absorbed him during a DR run that she had finally realized how badly he wanted to show his aunt, and his parents what he was really capable of. He had always played 'second fiddle,' in his own mind, first to Pietro, then to Scott and Kurt. It was tough on him, and added in the fact he had some sort of learning disorder (something a teacher had pointed out to him, but never got addressed properly) it just meant he ended up reaching a breaking point. She had been surprised when she missed him after he left, given that they hadn't been close, but chalked it up to him being rather like Kurt was...an annoying little brother who grew on you after a while. As she said goodbye to him, hugging him tightly, she could hear his voice crack just a bit as he told her to 'stay cool.'_

_And of course there was Jean, her polar opposite in so many ways. Popular, pretty, and perfect. Okay, so maybe only the first two were actually true, but everyone still thought the red-head was perfect, despite the obviousness of the fact she was anything but. They would likely never be the best of friends, especially now, with the fact that it was her dating Scott, not Jean. Unless Jean found another who she cared for the way she had convinced herself she did Scott, the fearless leader would always be a sore point between them. And of course there was this business with Jean's powers being crazy. It would be hard for the red-head, Rogue was sure of that, but as they held on to each other in a tight hug, Rogue assured Jean that she would be there if she needed to talk. After promising the same, Jean released Rogue and let her move on to..._

_Kitty...sweet, smart Kitty. Her roommate of nearly two full years, and easily her best female friend at the mansion, with Wanda a close second. How was she going to go months, maybe longer, without arguing with Kitty about the latest pop music and new trends in clothes? Those things just would not be the same done over the phone or through an e-mail. As they hugged goodbye one more time, Kitty's tears started to come harder and faster, making it impossible for the brunette to speak._

_Thankfully, Kurt would be coming with her to Scotland to be there for the first two weeks while the Professor and Dr. McTaggert ran their tests. That meant one less emotional goodbye for today, but she knew it would kill her, saying goodbye to her brother for an unknown amount of time. They may not have been related by blood, but it didn't matter. Some things were thicker than blood or water, and the deep sibling affection they held for each other was one of those things._

_Of course, there were the instructors as well, each special in to her in their own way._

_Ororo...mentor, friend. The weather-witch had taken to Rogue easily, accepting her into the family that was the X-men with as little reservation as the Professor himself. She had refused to let any fear of what Rogue's powers could do keep her from touching the girl casually, as a caring aunt might, though always respecting the fact that touch was something that could spook Rogue as easily as it could soothe. That was disregarded today, and the older woman had to dab at her eyes after giving Rogue a tight hug. "You take care, child," she admonished, a sad smile on her lips._

_Dr. McCoy had shared Rogue's love of literature, and the two had often traded books of poems or other novels that they found the other might enjoy. He had also been eager to help her with her mutation, but after the spectacular failure of treating his own through chemistry, was exceptionally careful in every step he took to try and aid her. None the less, Rogue would miss their long chats about Shakespeare, Dickens, and all of the classics. The quote he had spoken to her upon their goodbye was not one she had heard before, but would always remember. "__I wish I could make this better, dry the river of your tears. Take away the pain you're feeling, the memories of our years. We've meant so much and lost so much, but time is the only healer. For you and I to love again, We need to still remember. That we were destined to cross paths, to walk a while together and even as we say goodbye Thoughts of you I'll always treasure."_

_Off to one side, Remy stood apart from the others. His red-on-black eyes watching her closely, the love he felt for her obvious. Her goodbye to him was hard, knowing that she might never see him again, with his impending return to New Orleans and his family. But as he held her close, his face buried against her hair, she could feel his own hot tears against the sheer top she wore to cover her arms and neck. "__Je t'aimerai toujours, ma belle dame. Vous êtes si spécial, mon trésor rare, mon joyau étincelant. Le cœur de ce voleur sera toujours la vôtre. Je t'aime. Toujours, (1)" h__e had whispered into her ear, making her heart catch in her throat. "I know,Remy," had been all she could say, knowing how deeply her heart belonged to another. And yet... "I love you too," she had murmured to the Cajun, and felt him squeeze her a bit tighter before he finally released her. "Go on, ma Chere," he had said, giving her a gentle push in the direction of the only one she hadn't said goodbye to._

_Scott...the boy she had fallen for the moment she laid eyes on him. A leader through and through, but still so human under it all, a fact he hid from most. The past two days had been absolute heaven, getting to be in his arms after two years of dreaming. Hell, it would be absolute hell being away from him, and she could only hope that they both could accomplish their goals soon so they could be together again. Before moving into his arms, she had surprised the others when she wrapped a scarf over her lower face, then kissing him deeply. As she buried her face against his neck, careful of bared skin, she had let her tears soak the neckline of his t-shirt. "Ah love you," she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut. "Ah love you so much." "I know," he had whispered back, holding her tighter. "I'll miss you, my angel."_

_When she had finally been able to pull herself away from Scott's embrace, sealing their goodbye with one last kiss, and removing the scarf from around her face. With one last generalized goodbye to everyone, she had joined her brother, mother, the Professor and Logan on the jet. As the steps raised to become part of the plane, everyone exited the hanger, knowing the sound of the jet taking off would be far too loud. And yet, Scott stood there the entire time even as the jet exited the hanger, his body shaking with tears he couldn't shed._

Rogue had watched her lover from the window of the jet until he was well out of sight, and had actually fallen asleep, still crying. Lord, she was crying again, just remembering it. Rising from her vanity, Rogue went to her bedside table, grabbing a couple of tissues. As she dabbed the tears away, Rogue forced herself to smile. She would see her family again tonight, and that...that was a wonderful thing.

**A/N: **Okay, this took way too long given the length, but between a mild case of writer's block and Real Life interrupting, it just was a pain. Not much happening, but its mostly an in-between chapter to be honest. Next chapter, the Gala.

**(1) – Remy's words to Rogue - **"I will love you forever, my beautiful lady. You are so special, my rarest treasure, my sparkling jewel. This thief's heart will be yours forever. I love you. Always."

**Review Responses:**

**Guest: **First, glad you liked the explanation for the "strawberry incident." Yes, Rogue and Wolvie had a variation of 'the talk' and I do still plan on going into more detail on that eventually. I'm struggling with the right place to put in Flashbacks at the moment. Of course Logan would know something was up with his favorite student (Rogue) before it really happened. He watches her like a freakin' hawk. LOL. Hopefully you're still happy with me on the whole Jean thing, after this chapter. The Rogue/Mystique thing will be addressed more as we go on. I'm still thinking on what to do with the Brotherhood & St. John, but I may go the way that Evo told us they would. We'll see. Looking forward to the review for this chapter!


	14. Act II - Ch 13 - Unlucky Thirteen

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Act II**_

_**Chapter 13, "Unlucky Thirteen"**_

**Author Notes: **Well, here we go. Unlucky 13. Who's the unlucky one(s)? You'll have to read to find out. This is a VERY emotional chapter, and had ME crying while I wrote parts of it! So keep tissues handy just in case if you're the emotional sort like myself.

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me! All other OC are MY creation and do belong to me. Want to use them? Ask.

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred), Excalibur (Brian, Betsy, Emma, Sean, Tessa, Lucas, Lorna, Rogue, Mystique, Neal, Nate)

**Muir Island – Rogue's bedroom – 4:30 PM – Day of Gala (same day as end of Ch. 12) -**

Rogue sat on the floor of her bathroom next to her toilet, staring at the opposite wall blankly. She couldn't...it was impossible. Her powers wouldn't allow it, right? But all signs pointed to the converse being true, that she in fact _was_. Nausea, tiredness...and most damning, she had missed not one but two of her periods. A test would confirm it without a doubt, but Rogue was quite sure already. Somehow, despite all odds and all precautions Scott had taken, she was pregnant. Slowly, her hands crept up from the floor to cover her lower abdomen protectively as tears formed in her eyes. She had suspected off and on since her first missed period, but stress had made her loose track, and it wasn't until recently, when her second should have come that it hit her. Rogue thought idly of calling Scott now, but then remembered he and the other X-men would be in the air, very nearly to the island already. No, she would tell him face to face.

Hearing her bedroom door open, Rogue pushed herself up off of the bathroom floor and went to the door to meet whomever had entered her room. She didn't expect to be greeted by all three of the team's female telepaths however. "What's goin' on?" she asked.

"You were projecting again," Betsy said gently, already clad in a stunning dress in her trademark purple. As she moved forward, the telepath's purple eyes focused solely on Rogue. "Luv, what's bothering you?"

"Ah thought ya said Ah was projecting?"

"Your emotions," Emma said, sitting down on Rogue's bed. "All we got from you was a mixture of distress, surprise and then a spike of happiness with vague images we couldn't make sense of."

Rogue sighed heavily, moving to sit next to Emma. Unable to help it, her hands began to twitch and fidget in nervousness before they were grabbed by Betsy, who had pulled over a chair in front of her. "Luv, please...talk to us."

"Ah'm pregnant," Rogue blurted out, even as tears began to form in her eyes again. Her hands pulled away from Betsy's, and she wrapped her arms in a protective way over her stomach.

Both Emma and Betsy reeled back, surprised, while Tessa stood aside. Tessa had also begun to suspect Rogue was pregnant in recent days, having noticed the nausea and tiredness Rogue complained of off and on becoming worse. But after a brief glance at each other, Betsy and Emma moved to sit on either side of Rogue, each with an arm around her. Rogue's distress and borderline panic at their reactions were broadcasting loudly, making it paramount they soothe her first, and ask questions later.

"Okay luv, okay," Betsy murmured, making Rogue focus on her as Emma gently used her telepathy to project soothing images and thoughts into the girls mind. "You need to calm down a bit. I can tell you're scared...nervous...but you can't let that consume you. You know that."

Rogue nodded slowly. Nervousness and fear were two of the emotions the psyches fed on most of all, and if she allowed those emotions to overtake her, the psyches would become increasingly restless, making it near impossible for her to function normally. Breathing deeply as Logan and Ororo had taught her in some meditation exercises, she focused on a memory of her and Scott, pushing out all else.

As Rogue's emotions began to calm, Emma stopped projecting things to her, and allowed the Goth girl to finish on her own. "Better?" she asked, once Rogue had opened her eyes again.

Giving a brief nod, Rogue looked to Tessa. "Can...can you...ya know...run one o' your scans? Make sure everythin' is okay?" she asked almost shyly.

"You will need to move your arms, and it would be best if you stood," Tessa said, even as she slipped her special sunglasses into place.

Rogue stood, letting her arms fall to her sides, and fought the urge to cover her abdomen again as Tessa reached out, gently placing her hands on either side of Rogue's stomach. As Tessa began the scan, Rogue couldn't help but feel panic rise in her again. With powers like hers...especially with no control, wasn't it dangerous for her to be pregnant? Couldn't her powers possibly hurt the baby? Lord, why had she thought even for a moment this could be a good thing? Tears filled her eyes as she imagined loosing the baby because of her powers. Yes, she had managed to get pregnant, a feat on its own with her powers, and so far had stayed that way. But perhaps her powers just hadn't recognized it as something that could be absorbed yet.

How on earth would she be able to tell Scott? Much less anyone else. She knew, perhaps better than anyone, how much he had always wanted to have a family of his own. Maybe this was far sooner than he expected, and to be honest after her powers had manifested she had thought she'd never have a real relationship, much less a family of her own, but to loose the chance now? After she found it was at least partly possible?

"You have no need to worry."

Tessa's voice interrupted her thoughts, and had Rogue looked at the dark-haired telepath in surprise. "What?"

"Your child is safe from your powers," Tessa continued as if Rogue hadn't said anything. "It is, after all, a part of you. Now if you would please calm down, I need to finish the scan."

Fears quelled, Rogue stood still, a hint of a smile on her lips. Maybe this was a good thing after all, she mused.

"Everything is as it should be," Tessa informed Rogue, giving a brief and rare smile to the stripe-haired girl. Glancing at Betsy, her normal expressionless mask fell into place. "We will have to alert Brian to this immediately. She should not be on active duty."

"We'll worry about that later," Betsy murmured, seeing how Rogue's expression changed at the reminder she had only just joined Excalibur. "Don't worry. We'll always have a place for you, Rogue," she reassured the younger girl, giving her a brief hug. They weren't exactly best friends, but with all she had seen in Rogue's mind, it had made Betsy feel mildly responsible for her. It was obvious that while Rogue had people who cared for her, none of them, with the possible exception of her lover, Scott, had the last bit of idea really knew the hell the girl had because of her powers and past.

Rogue sat back down on the bed, and finally remembered she was clad only in her 'fake skin' and underwear. "Oh!" she gasped, and grabbed up the jade silk robe she had been talked into buying. Slipping it on, she covered her abdomen again, unable to help herself. It had been less than an hour she had known, and already an incredible protective instinct was surging within her. Did all expectant mom's feel this way? She wondered. Looking at the women around her, she hesitated, then asked them to do something she knew would go against their norm. "Can ya'll...not say anythin' t' anyone just yet?" She noted the looks on their faces. "Please? Ah want Scott t' be th' next one t' know...no one else."

Understanding, the three telepaths shared a look and brief communication. Brian could be told tomorrow, they rationalized. Less than 24 hours surely wouldn't make that big of a difference, right?

"We'll keep it our secret for now," Emma assured her. Giving Rogue a once over, she realized the girl must've stopped getting ready halfway through putting on her make-up, and just after doing her hair. "Lets finish getting you ready, hmm?"

Rogue gave a grateful smile as she moved back over to her vanity. "Ah'd appreciate it," she said softly, and the other three knew at once she wasn't just talking about the offer to help her finish getting ready.

**Blackbird, a little over 1 hour away from Muir Island over the Atlantic Ocean – 5PM (Muir Island time)**

"Like, we're so going to be late!" Kitty moaned, even as she checked her hair in a mirror Jean was holding up via her telekinesis.

"We won't be that late," Jean assured her, even as she smoothed out the straps of her ivory satin dress. "Maybe a few minutes at most." She could feel Alex's eyes on her from across the aisle, and shot him a brief smile. They had spent only 2 days in Mexicali, a town in Northern Baja Mexico, but combined with the trip there and back to the mansion, it had been amazing to get away. Never had she done something so reckless as to up and leave the mansion and her responsibility like that, and she certainly wouldn't have done it while she was dating Scott. Glancing at her ex, who was seated next to his brother, Jean realized something. Together, she and Scott were good, but something about a romance between the two of them was restricting. They were expected to be the super-couple of the X-men, and the perfect X-men as well. Apart, they could express sides of themselves that were repressed otherwise. Why was that? She wondered, then dismissed it. Thinking on it too much couldn't lead anywhere.

"Jean?" Kitty asked, touching the red-head's arm lightly. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Jean replied quickly, smiling. "I'm fine."

Kitty considered her friend for a moment, then smirked. "Your road trip with Alex certainly seems to have done you some good..."

Jean looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"You're smiling a lot...more than you have since Apocalypse."

"Oh," Jean said, suddenly shy. "Am I?" She was mortified to realize she couldn't stop the hint of a blush that infused her cheeks with color, or her eyes from focusing in on Alex.

Seeing the blush, Kitty glanced to where Jean was looking, and realized Jean's gaze was on Alex. Gaping, Kitty stared at Jean. "Oh, my, god. You like him!" she whispered excitedly.

Jean's blush intensified, and she pushed a lock of her flame red hair behind an ear. "I don't know what you're talking about, Kitty. He's two years younger than me!"

"So?" Kitty asked, honestly not seeing an issue. "He's cute, he's just as like, well mannered as Scott most of the time, but without like, being so serious!" She gave Jean's shoulder a little nudge. "What's not to like? I'd so, like, go for him...well...if I didn't already like someone else," Kitty added with a blush of her own as she caught sight of Piotr as he walked up to ask Scott how he was supposed to do his tie. Her on-again/off-again romance with Lance had ended not long after Rogue left, with both of them having fallen for someone else, and Kitty had to admit she was happier now herself.

Jean considered what Kitty said, and shot a brief look across the eye to where Alex and Scott were helping Piotr. Alex was indeed cute, and had gone with Scott the day before to get his hair cut. Instead of his former shoulder-length surfer-dude look, he now had a more stylish cut that still was an inch or two longer than how Scott or Bobby wore their hair. With the bangs falling into those blue eyes of his, and his boyish grin, it made a rather appealing image. And hadn't she just been thinking of how much she had enjoyed their trip, how much it had helped her relax? Wasn't that because of his company? Sighing, she looked to Kitty. "I'm not saying you're right," she told the brunette, a hint of a smile on her face. "But you might have a bit of a point."

Kitty just grinned. "Like, of course I do," she stated, turning back to the mirror as she began to double check her make-up.

Across the aisle and a few rows back, Kurt was fidgeting in his seat., causing Evan to laugh. "Dude, you saw your sister just over a month ago, why are you so excited?"

Kurt looked highly offended, and would have rolled his eyes at his friend had he not been so excited. "She's meine Schwester!" he said simply, because to him, that said it all.

Evan shook his head, smiling. "I don't get it, man," he admitted. "But whatever makes ya happy."

Up at the front of the plane, Logan double checked the radar, only to glance up as he noticed Ororo had come to stand behind. "Need somethin' darlin?" he asked her, fighting the urge to rip off the tie everyone had insisted he wear. _Damn fancy parties,_ he mused. _They had better serve beer to make up for this._

Ororo gave him a brief smile. "The students are worried we're going to be late, so I thought I'd see if their worries were well founded or not," she teased, knowing perfectly well Logan was in as much a hurry as the rest. Over two months without his favorite student had him wanting to see for himself if she was as okay as everything made it sound.

Grunting in amusement, Logan raised an eyebrow at her. "Ya really think I'd let us be more than a little late, Ro?" he asked. "And if we are, its only cause th' girls insisted on tryin' t' be totally ready b'fore they got on th' plane, despite th' fact its a 5-6 hour flight."

Knowing what he said was true, Ororo shrugged. "They're teenage girls, Logan. They still fret overmuch on things like that," she reminded him, even as a hand came up to smooth a wayward strand of her white hair back into place.

Logan smirked when she did so. "Just the teenage girls fret about it eh?"

Ororo gave him an unamused look. "Hush," she scolded, but the smile in her eyes told a different story.

"Whatever ya say, Darlin," Logan said, turning his attention back to piloting...well...mostly anyhow. If she was close, part of his attention was always on her. And with the way that gold and sapphire gown showed off her figure, more of his attention was on her than piloting if he was to be honest. Now if only he could convince the weather-goddess to go on a real date with him, he'd be a happy man...

**Muir Island, NEW Special Event Center – 6 PM – Gala Beginning -**

Nate tugged at his tie one last time, giving Lucas an annoyed look when he told him to quit. "I'm not used to these things, give me a break," he grumbled. The suit he was told to wear may have been comfortable, but this damned tie was going to drive him crazy. Was it really supposed to be so tight?

"Here come the ladies," Brian announced, causing the other guys to look around. And indeed, the ladies of Excalibur were making one hell of an entrance. Even members of other organizations were pausing to admire the wealth of beauty presented.

In the lead was Betsy, her purple hair done in an elaborate french twist, while an equally elaborate silk dress in her signature purple clung to every curve, slits on either leg coming clear up to her thighs to show off her shapely legs. Just behind her, Emma was clad in her usual white, this time favoring a dress that had a mildly flared skirt that brushed the floor, the bodice of which clung like a second skin to her, and showed off her generous (albeit fake) endowments. Tessa was walking with Emma, a startling contrast to the blonde bombshell. Where Emma's blonde hair was hanging softly to her shoulders, Tessa's long locks were twisted into a bun; Emma was tanned, Tessa's skin was pale. And while Emma was in a white gown, Tessa's was raven black, hug to every curve, and was cut in an oriental style with a high neckline. Lorna had chosen a gown in a dark green, since her hair made finding suitable colors difficult, and had gone with a wrap-style dress with only one strap that went over her left shoulder, while her hair cascaded down her back in neon green curls. Sandwiched between Emma and Tessa as they walked, was Rogue. The auburn of her hair was done into some kind of up-do that no one ever remembered the name for, while the white streaks framed her face, and her make-up was done in a similar manner to how she had worn it for her going away party with smokey eyes and dark lips (this time in wine instead of red). Her wine colored gown hugged to her lean figure, looking divine against her pale 'skin.'

Not with the ladies was Raven, who was waiting at the hanger to greet the X-men and lead them to the party since they were running a few minutes late. But that certainly wasn't holding up the party. Already, the governments who had been invited were inside, as well as all the military organizations. Teams like the Fantastic Four and Avengers were present, and were already socializing. As Excalibur stood as one, they surveyed the massive room. Well, so far things were off to a great start.

Noting Nate's discomfort with his tie, Rogue gave a soft laugh as she moved over to him. "Who on earth did ya tie, sugah?" she asked, even as she loosened it a bit.

"Lucas," he replied, noting that in her heels, Rogue was the same height as him. "He said it was supposed to be that tight."

Rogue gave Lucas a mock glare, earning a rare grin from the massive man. "Why do ya pick on him so?" she asked Lucas, her mock glare turning to a smile.

"Because he's the only one I can pick on," was the reply.

Shaking her head, Rogue reached over to smack him on the arm. "Well no more t'night, okay?"

Lucas sighed. "Fine, it was going to be my only source of amusement tonight, but if you insist." For having been raised a military brat, Lucas had a dry sense of humor that never failed to make Rogue smile.

"Ah insist," she told him, then glanced toward the bathroom. "Ah'll be back in a minute," she murmured to Betsy, who nodded.

As Rogue moved off towards the bathroom, Brian pulled his sister over to his side. "Okay, something is different with her tonight...care to enlighten me?" he asked, knowing of all the girls, Betsy was the one Rogue was most likely to have confided in.

Betsy glanced at her brother, then looked out towards the rest of the room. _'Its not my place to say, Brian. She assured me she'd speak to you herself tomorrow, okay?'_

_'As long as she does,' _Brian replied, allowing his blue eyes to look elsewhere as well. _'She is okay though, right? Its nothing bad?'_

Betsy smiled faintly at her brother's concern, knowing he had taken to Rogue instantly when she arrived. _'No, its nothing bad,' _she reassured and felt her brother relax.

_'Then it can wait until tomorrow,' _ was Brian's final words on the topic, and he moved off to greet Reed Richards and his fiance Sue Storm who had finally extricated themselves from the crowd of dignitaries who had rushed to them on their arrival.

A brief telepathic check on Rogue let Betsy know the girl was okay, other than the bought of nausea that had sent her to the bathroom in the first place. So when Brian gestured for her to come over and greet the rest of the Fantastic Four, she put on her brightest genuine smile and fought the urge to laugh when Sue's younger brother instantly started flirting with her. Well, at least one thing never changed...how men reacted to her.

**Muir Island, Hanger – 6:15 PM -**

Inside the massive hanger of Muir Island, the X-men exited the Blackbird and Velocity, surprised when they were greeted by Mystique.

"Vhere's Rogue?" Kurt asked immediately, even as he tugged at his jacket to make it sit properly.

"She's already at the gala," Raven informed him, smiling. Despite the fact he had been told not to wear his image inducer, he had managed to find an outfit that looked quite good on him. "She's waiting for you there."

As Hank looked around the hanger, he glanced back to Raven. "They certainly have enough space," he mused, noting that aside from the two X-men aircraft there were two large jets for Excalibur, three smaller craft, as well as the jets that the Fantastic Four and Avengers had arrived in fit into the hanger with still space to spare. He was itching to get to go explore the medical facility, but knew he'd get a chance tomorrow.

Raven glanced at him when he made his comment, and smirked. "You have no idea." When she received a few curious looks, she just smiled. "You'll get to see for yourselves."

As they followed her out of the hanger, they could see off to their right a massive building that looked to be the main house, with two smaller buildings connected to it via single level buildings that they assumed were hallways based on what Rogue had said. On their left was a clear view to the cliffs and the ocean, and directly in front of them stood the huge structure that was the Special Events building. Suddenly, one of the girls cried out, causing the procession to stop. Jubilee had stepped wrong in her heeled shoes, and fallen to the asphalt. Hank hurried over to ensure there was no damage to her, while the others either moved closer to ask her if she was okay, or took time to look around at the island.

Near the front of the group, Scott began to fidget as he looked at the event building. His angel was there, and he was itching to be able to hold her again. They had not gotten a chance to speak since she had called nearly a week ago, and after having heard her voice every day for two years, going a week or more without it was still something he didn't think he could get used to. The summer sun filtered through clouds to reflect off of the glass doors that were wide open to allow everyone entry, and Scott fought the urge to go ahead of everyone in order to be the first to see Rogue. Instead, he focused his attention on examining the huge building, and admiring the way it was built.

As focused as he was on the building, he was startled to notice a group of people hurrying away from it dressed oddly. Why were they in camouflage? Rogue had said that while military people would be there, it was definitely a formal affair. A bad feeling began to build in his gut, especially when they boarded a helicopter that was off by itself instead of near the other aircraft. As the helicopter took off, the feeling something was definitely wrong grew. Logan too had seemed to sense that something was wrong, and was sniffing at the air.

Logan's eyes went almost comically wide as he realized what it was he was smelling. Explosives. Turning to call the others' attention to it, he was cut short by a deafening roar and the feeling of the island seeming to shake.

As one, the X-men turned, only to find the event building erupting into flames. A few more minor explosions rocked the island, sending more smoke and flame billowing into the sky while the X-men could only watch in horror. Raven recovered the fastest, and in moments was racing towards the building, screaming for her daughter. Hearing her screams seemed to draw the others back to the fact that this was reality. Scott fought the panic and bile rising in his throat and ordered Pyro and Ororo to do whatever they could to extinguish the flames, while everyone ran after Raven. Immediately rain clouds began to form over the island, while Ororo rose into the air, her eyes white. Pyro had Kurt port him closer, and used his control over flame to lower the intensity, something he was still having to get used to doing.

Logan stripped off his jacket and tie, then began to cut and dig his way through the immediate rubble as the flames died away, careful of the fact that there might be people underneath. From deeper in, there was the sound of rubble moving, and suddenly three of the Avengers came bursting out. Upon seeing the X-men, there was a frenzy of communication via telepathy with the Professor, and the three began to aid in digging. As they would throw away pieces, Jean or Roberto would catch them, moving them to a pile away from the remains of the building. Before long, the Fantastic Four, Avengers and X-men were digging their way through to survivors. Upon finding Moira, who thankfully was only sporting minor injuries, mostly scrapes thanks to Nate's quick thinking and a telekinetic shield he had erected over all of Excalibur, the team's teleporter, a young woman by the name of Lacey took the Doctor over to the medical facility where she and anyone else they had found who had medical training began to set up for those who were more severely injured.

Yet Rogue had not been with Excalibur, something that very nearly had Scott into full panic mode. It took every ounce of self-control he had to keep from breaking down, and instead, he focused on trying to find her. When Betsy informed him that the last she knew, Rogue had been in the bathroom, he grabbed Logan and the two began to dig at the rubble around that area. Half an hour later, he was beginning to think maybe she wasn't there, because there was no response to his or Logan's calls of her name as they shifted pieces of concrete, metal and wood out of the way. His mind never even entertained the thought she might not be able to respond, because to do so would cause a complete and utter shutdown. It was not something he could handle, even just the thought of.

As Scott shifted a piece of wood, his arms beginning to ache with effort, he was greeted with the sight of a bit of wine colored silk, the same that he had been told Rogue was wearing. Frantic, he called for Logan to help him move a larger piece of the wood that had been paneling in the bathroom, and when the two managed to lift it, Scott lost finally lost the fight with the bile that had been in his throat since the explosion.

As Scott heaved up whatever he had put into his stomach that day off to one side, Logan knelt down beside the girl he thought so much of. He could hear the faint sound of her heartbeat, reassuring him she was still alive, and called for Dr. McCoy, a rare hint of panic in his voice that had the Doctor bounding over quickly, only to come to a dead stop at the sight of Rogue.

Even laying on her right side as she was, Hank could see where her right leg was broken in at least two places, numerous small cuts on her face, a bruise blossoming on her left temple where the wood had fallen on her, and a very large splinter of wood sticking out of her left calf. But oddly, there was far more blood than he thought there should be, until he realized that her left hand had been hiding what was undoubtedly her worst wound. There, piercing her abdomen at a severe angle, was yet another large splinter of wood, having likely done untold amounts of damage to her internal organs. He too could feel bile rising his throat, and finally moved the last few feet to the girl.

"Hank...that's a lot of blood," Logan whispered, not wanting to upset Scott further, who was now standing there, staring at Rogue.

Hank nodded. "I wouldn't normally recommend this when she's unconscious, but...have you tried touching her?"

Logan immediately reached out, placing his palm along her cheek, only to be met with the feel of smooth skin, and no pull of her powers even after many seconds had passed.

That seemed to spur Hank to action again, and the Doctor called for the teleporter, Lacey as well as a telekinetic. Nate and Lacey arrived only seconds later, and both balked at the sight in front of them.

"Is she...?" Nate began, then realized his telepathy was still picking up on her brain activity. Of course she was alive. Gently, he lifted her from the area, leaving behind a pool of blood that was far too large, a telling sign of how injured she was. Lacey immediately grabbed Nate, and reached out for Hank to grab her hand. As soon as she felt the massive blue hand in hers, Lacey was gone, and appeared in an area of the medical facility that was being kept clear for her to teleport people into.

Once Moira had rushed forward to help with Rogue, Lacey disappeared again, and reappeared back at the disaster scene to help whomever she could. Scott had found another member of Excalibur by this time, Emma, and grabbed hold of her arm

"Where's the medical facility?" he asked her, panic clear in his voice.

Emma's blue eyes went wide when she saw him. "You're Scott, aren't you?" she asked, having just been alerted to Rogue's condition by Nate. When the leader of the X-men nodded, she glanced around, and not seeing any other X-men close by, decided to take him to Rogue, then come back for the others. "Follow me," she told him. The other X-men could continue to aid in the search, at least until they became aware of Rogue being injured. Scott, she could tell, would be in no condition to help any longer.

Scott followed the blonde quickly, even as he fought the urge to throw up again. His angel...the woman he loved more than anything...oh god. There had been so much blood...so much...how could she possibly be okay? Was she even still alive? Had the few seconds he had been away from her already been her last? He felt his feet hurry more, even though he was already exhausted from his search for her. Right now, nothing else mattered but seeing her, knowing if she was still alive or not.

In Scott's utter panic, Emma picked up on images from him, and had to stop a moment herself when she saw how he had found Rogue. Even with all she herself had seen in life and as a member of Excalibur, it was still a sickening sight to see a friend in such a state. Finally, they came to the medical facility, and Emma placed her palm against the scanner. As soon as the door was open, she led Scott directly to the room where Dr. McCoy and Dr. McTaggert were furiously trying to stem the bleeding in Rogue's abdomen. It was then, Emma realized neither Doctor knew of Rogue's pregnancy. After setting Scott into a chair, Emma grabbed a mask from the box near the door, and entered the room.

From the windows meant for observation by other medical personnel, Scott watched as Emma said something to the two Doctors that made them visibly react. Moira's face lost what color it had left, and she nearly lost hold of the instruments in her hands, while Hank's face showed absolute horror. What had she said to them to cause such a reaction? Scott wondered, and had he been able to move his body that was paralyzed by exhaustion and emotional trauma, would have stormed into the room demanding to know. Emma left the room soon after telling them, and disappeared before Scott could even think to tell her he wanted to know what she had said. Inside the room, Hank and Moira were working with renewed determination, though Moira was still deathly pale.

Within an hour or so, most of the rubble outside had been cleared, and thankfully, everyone found so far had been alive. There were roughly 20 more people to be found, but by now, many of the X-men had joined Scott in chairs outside of the room where Moira and Hank still were working on Rogue.

Kurt was huddled in a chair next to his mother and Kitty, his tail, normally moving and twitching with his upbeat mood, hung limp to the floor. Upon entering the facility and seeing Rogue through the blinds no one had yet thought to close, he had sat down in the moderately comfortable chair, hugging his knees to his chest as he cried. Kitty had broken into sobs immediately upon hearing that Rogue had been hurt severely, and had to be carried to the building by Piotr, who was seated on Kitty's other side, holding the petite girl's hand for whatever comfort he could give. Jean had not fared much better than Kitty upon hearing the news, and was currently leaning against Alex, her normally bright eyes dulled with tears.

Professor Xavier was in a muted conversation with Logan and Ororo, but all three had tear-stained faces. It had been a huge shock to see the normally 'together' Wolverine cry, but then, this was the girl he considered a daughter hanging to life by a thread. Once already she had flat-lined while Hank and Moira worked on stemming the bleeding, but thankfully all but the adults were unaware of that fact thanks to them having been distracted by Excalibur blocking the view of the room as they checked on her.

Suddenly, Hank poked his head out of the room while the waiting area was filled with the sound of machines going off, and the foreboding sound of Rogue flat-lining again while he called for Lacey to get someone called Ty. The young female teleporter was gone in an instant, while the X-men stared into the room. There, on the heart monitor was the unmistakable proof that Rogue was gone, even as Hank rushed back to the bedside to help Moira try to restart Rogue's heart for a second time.

Kurt's golden eyes stared, unseeing as Kitty turned and clung to him while she cried. No. His sister. No. On the other side of him, he could sense his mother shaking, then rising to vomit into a nearby trashcan as emotion overtook her. She wasn't...she couldn't be. Something in Kurt's mind shut down, unable to process the idea of a world without his beloved adopted sister. Such a place did not, and could not exist.

Scott slipped from his chair into a heap on the floor, feeling as if his own heart had stopped at the instant Rogue's did. He vaguely noted someone was hugging him from behind, Jean perhaps? But nothing mattered now. If she...if Rogue was...His body began to shake violently with the need to cry, startling whomever had been hugging him. He could hear vague sounds around him, people crying, grieving, someone talking...to him?...but it all was muffled, unclear. Breathing became difficult as his body fought itself, wanting the emotional release of tears, but unable to form any due to his mutation. His body began to shake even more, becoming more like the convulsions of a seizure as he thought he heard someone scream. A reassuring presence filled his mind suddenly, and he felt himself start to relax despite himself. The Professor. The last thing he remembered before his world faded to black was the Professor saying, _'She's alive...they brought her back.'_

**Muir Island Medical Facility, 1 AM -**

The sound of a door opening roused the X-men and Excalibur from whatever rest they had been getting, and as they finally focused, they were greeted by the sight of Dr. McTaggert and Dr. McCoy, both still in their blood-drenched clothes, but the Doctors had faint smiles on their exhausted faces.

"We were finally able t' get th' lass stable," Moira informed them as she shed her outer medical gown, ignoring for the moment that her dress was also blood stained, and sat down. Her eyes were dark with fatigue, and her skin pale. "Lass gave us a good fight," she murmured. "But she's gonna be okay."

Kurt made a sound of relief, even as Kitty squeezed his hand. "So...she...how..." he was unable to find words to ask what he wanted, and sighed in frustration.

Moira glanced at Xavier, waiting for him to say whatever it was Kurt couldn't.

"What exactly were her injuries?" Xavier asked, "and how long until she wakes up?"

Giving Moira a moment to sip the water Brian had just brought her, Hank answered instead. "Both her femur and tibia in her right leg were broken, " he began, then noticed a blank look on some of the students. Sighing, he reminded himself to use non-scientific terms. "Lets try again. Her upper and lower right leg suffered breaks from impact with the floor, and her right arm suffered some severe bruising from impact, but thankfully did not break. There are more bruises and cuts than I cared to count, scattered nearly everywhere on her body, in varying degrees of severity. The worst was undoubtedly the wound in her stomach. That large splinter of wood pierced through her small intestine, and managed to nick several blood vessels and other organs."

While that sunk in for the others, Logan frowned. He had been around enough injury to know there had been far more blood than what Hank's list would have caused. Just as he was about to comment on it, the blue Doctor shot him a pointed look as if he knew what Logan was going to say, and shook his head slowly. Realizing there was something else going on, Logan began to think on the possibilities. Why wouldn't Hank list another injury that would explain the blood unless...Logan's mind balked at the idea, but it was the only one that made sense. His pale blue eyes connected with the doctor's, and he mouthed a word he had never thought he'd say in connection with Rogue. 'Pregnant.'

Hank's single nod was all Logan needed. Lord, she was going to be devastated, Logan thought. He glanced briefly to where they had laid Scott after his breakdown, and sighed. Rogue wouldn't be the only one devastated.

**A/N: **A short chapter, but as heavy as it is, I couldn't bring myself to write another 30-page monster. Now to begin on the real aftermath chapter... Thank you to those of you who have added the story or me to alerts/favorites since last chapter, it means a lot!


	15. Act II - Ch 14 - After the Fall

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Act II**_

_**Chapter 14, "After the Fall"**_

**Author Notes: ** Okay, first and foremost, any Scogue fans who have not gone off and read stuff from my friend and reviewer TieDyeJackson should do so immediately after reading this chapter. Good stuff, he's on my fav and alert for the poems alone, not to mention the other fics he's done. Now that I've made you aware of another Scogue author, on to the notes for this chapter. Its another tissue-box one, but I'm sure you were expecting that. Also, I'm looking for ideas for some one-shots to do just to keep myself from going crazy and banging my head on a wall when this doesn't turn out like I want the first 10 times. So PM me or review with your ideas you'd like to see me run with. :) But they HAVE to be for a one-shot. I'm not tackling any more multi-chapter fics right now.

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred), Excalibur (Brian, Betsy, Emma, Sean, Tessa, Lucas, Lorna, Rogue, Mystique, Neal, Nate)

**Location: ? Time: ?**

Sunlight filtered through sheer curtains that laid over half-closed wooden blinds, its early morning brightness hitting the eyes of the two young adults cuddled in a king-sized bed. The young man was the first to wake, and a smile crossed his face as he looked down at the woman beside him. Gently, he began to kiss along her neck, his hand reaching around to the front of her to lay warm against her obviously pregnant belly. When she stirred, emerald eyes turning to look up at him, his smile widened. "Hey you..." he murmured, leaning over to press a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

A smile formed on her lips, even as she felt movement under the hand he had on her stomach. "Mm...hey yaself," she murmured back, enjoying the feeling when he returned his lips to her neck. Her pale hand moved to lay over his, even as the child inside her kicked again. "Lawd, someone's restless this mornin," she sighed, content.

Scott's blue-green eyes sparkled at her, free of his ruby-quartz shades. "Yes, our little one is probably telling me to go get your breakfast ready," he replied, rubbing his hand in a soothing motion that seemed to instantly calm the life underneath. He gave her another quick kiss, then began to pull away so he could go get them both something to eat.

Laughing, Rogue reached over, grabbing his hand before he could leave the bed, an engagement ring sparkling in the filtered sunlight. "No more eggs, please," she told him, her smile turning teasing. "Ah know its one thing you're really good at makin', but sugah...enough is enough."

Scott shrugged, pulling on a t-shirt and pair of shorts. "Toaster waffles it is then," he said. "Think you could handle syrup today or should I just pull out the peanut butter?"

Rogue made a face when he mentioned syrup, having not been able to enjoy the taste of the sugary concoction since becoming pregnant. "Peanut Butter. Ah ain't gonna risk havin' t' spend th' mornin' on th' bathroom floor."

"Whatever you want," Scott assured her, even as he leaned over to give her a proper good morning kiss. "I'll let you know when its ready," he added, then left the bedroom to get things started.

Giving a good stretch, Rogue heard a few pops in her lower back and sighed in relief. That always felt so damn good. Swinging her legs out of the bed, Rogue's feet made contact with a hard wood floor, and she pushed herself to a standing position after a moment. Placing a hand over her stomach, she glanced down at it. "Much as Ah love ya, sugah, Ah'm so ready t' be able t' be light on mah feet again," she informed her unborn child, only to receive a gentle push against her belly. "Ah know, Ah know," she added with a smile, making soothing circles over where the push had come from. "You're about ready t' get out too."

Knowing it wouldn't take Scott long to have their breakfast ready, Rogue shed the nightgown she had on and quickly slipped into long dress. She had given up pants a week ago when even the maternity ones became too uncomfortable, and longed for the days of jeans and her favorite yoga pants. Still barefoot, she padded out into the rest of the house, pausing to poke her head into the room that was now a nursery a faint smile on her lips. Hearing the faint sound of the toaster popping, she resumed the short trek to the kitchen. As she reached the doorway, Scott turned to face her, a plate in hand with two toaster waffles on it.

"Hey. Perfect timing," he told her, setting the plate down at the little two seat table next to a steaming cup of the decaf green tea she had taken to having of a morning now that coffee was a no-no. Also on the table was a bowl of the fresh fruit, next to the jar of crunchy peanut butter for her and syrup for him.

Smiling brightly, she sat down, knowing he'd not allow her to do anything else. Ever since he had found out she was pregnant, he had waited on her hand and foot, claiming he wasn't foolish enough to piss off his Southern woman who could lay him out cold in an instant if she wished. It had gotten on her nerves a few times, but after brief fights on each occasion they had managed to work out a way for him to do as he wanted (spoiling her rotten) and still allow her a measure of independence that she so wanted to retain. Of course, the further along she got, the more he had managed to convince her to let him do, but they had an unspoken agreement to not point that out. Spreading the peanut butter over one of the waffles, she glanced outside, noticing it looked like it would be a beautiful day. "Did you happen to hear what th' weathah's supposed to be like t'day?" she asked, wondering if it would be warm enough to go out for a walk.

His waffles had just popped up, and he put them on a plate as he answered. "I think it's supposed to be warmer than yesterday," his eyes glanced at her, then out the window. "Let me guess," he added, coming to sit across from her. "You want to go out for a walk?"

Walking was about the only exercise she was allowed to do anymore, despite how active she had been before, and she relished every opportunity to do so, especially when she got to do so outside. "O'course," she told him, even as she watched with envy as he pour the thick maple syrup over his own waffles.

"Then we'll go out later," he assured her, even as he spooned some of the fruit onto his plate, popping a grape into his mouth once he had finished speaking.

They turned their attention to breakfast, knowing the food would quickly get cold otherwise, the silence broken only by the sounds of birds and neighborhood dogs through the windows. Afterward, Rogue and Scott lounged on the sofa for a while, him watching a mid-morning talk show, while she read a few pages of 'Gone With the Wind,' one of her favorite novels. When Scott's show ended, they went for the walk Rogue had requested earlier, though instead of the proper walk like she normally liked, it ended up being more of a stroll that lasted about half an hour. As the day wore on, they went to do their own thing; Rogue going to a small room set up for her music, Scott out to the garage to tinker with a beat up 1969 Oldsmobile 442 convertible (his dream car, and a birthday gift from Rogue).

When Rogue took a short afternoon nap on the living room couch, Scott was her pillow, his arms around her as he re-watched an old episode of M*A*S*H. A phone call before dinner from Kurt asking how she and the baby were doing had Rogue's overall contentment level in the clouds, and as she crawled into bed next to her lover that night, she was still smiling.

Placing small kisses along her neck as he snuggled against her back, Scott commented on how happy she was. "I don't think you've quit smiling all day," he murmured, but she could feel his own smile against her neck.

"Ah've got no reason t' do otherwise," she informed him, relaxing into his embrace.

"I love you," he whispered at her ear, even as he laid his head down to sleep.

"Love you too, sugah," she whispered back, letting her eyes close and sleep overtake her.

Unknown hours later, though it was still dark, Rogue woke, a feeling that something was off engulfing her. "Scott?" she called, reaching for where he had been in the bed, only to find it cold and empty. How long had he been gone? Rising, she was surprised to find half the furniture she remembered being in the room earlier was also gone, and wondered how she could sleep through someone moving a dresser from the room. Something was most definitely amiss. Room by room she went through the house, finding no trace of Scott anywhere. Each room was missing at least half of its furniture, and in the garage, the car she knew was not drivable was also gone. Turning, she went to enter the house again, only to trip. Hands flew to her stomach, and she began to turn to take the impact anywhere but on her pregnant belly, only to find it as smooth and toned as it had been months before. What was going on?

Tears began to stream down her face as she hit the floor, clutching at her no-longer pregnant stomach. After a few minutes, she managed to pull herself to her feet, fighting back the absolute depression threatening. This time, as she went through the house, it was completely empty, all traces of it being lived in gone. She leaned heavily on the doorway to what had been the bedroom she and Scott shared only hours before, her brain unable to accept what she was seeing, or rather not seeing. It was then she realized that the engagement ring she had worn earlier was gone as well. The tears started up again, and this time Rogue had no desire to stop them. Falling to the floor, she let the sobs rack her body, her arms held in a protective embrace over her stomach. She had everything she had ever wanted in the whole world that morning; by the next, it was gone.

**Muir Island Medical Center – 8AM – Morning after Explosion **

A faint sound of medical machines, whispered conversations and quiet footsteps helped rouse Scott from the deep sleep he had been put into by the Professor. Slowly, he shifted on a softer surface than he remembered being on, and frowned. When had he been moved to a bed? Groaning, he cracked open one eye, and when he saw the world through ruby quartz, opened the other as well. One hand came up, encountering the goggles he used for sleep. So someone had changed out his shades as well.

"You haven't had a breakdown like that in quite some time," a soft voice told him, and it took Scott only a moment to realize it was the Professor. "How are you feeling?"

"Worn out," Scott admitted. Though he had slept, a telepathically induced sleep was not as restful as one might think, as it only forced the mind to rest, not the body. "My body aches all over." The memories of the night before had not yet returned, and he sighed, rubbing his face.

"I'll have Dr. McCoy get you something for that," Xavier said. He paused, then decided to go ahead and ask. "Scott...do you remember last night?"

A frown formed on Scott's face. Last night? Slowly, his mind unlocked itself, as if the words were a key, allowing him to remember in vivid detail key events of the past 12-16 hours. Panic began to build again, and he looked at the Professor. "Rogue...is she...?"

"She's sleeping," Xavier reassured Scott. "She will need time to heal, but they intend to allow her to wake in a few hours. Dr. McCoy and Dr. McTaggert want to ensure all is well mentally before they continue giving her medication for sleep and pain."

Scott let out the breath he had been holding. She was okay...hurt, but alive. "I...I need to see her," he said softly.

"You can see her shortly," a new voice told him, this time belonging to Dr. McCoy. The big Doctor held a cup of water, and what Scott could only assume was some kind of pain medication. "This should help ease the aches the Professor said you were experiencing."

Downing the two pills, and taking a huge gulp of the water, Scott gave the Doctor a brief smile. "Thanks." He glanced down at himself, realizing he was still in his blood-stained suit from the night before. "Where's my bag?" he asked, even as he felt a desire to burn these clothes. He didn't think he'd ever be able to wear them again, not after what happened.

"I'll have Kurt get it for you." Hank paused. "Perhaps a shower would not be a bad idea?" he suggested, noting the blood under Scott's nails and on his hands that had not been washed the night before.

"But Rogue..." Scott began, then followed Hank's eyes to his hands. "Oh..."

"Actually, Hank, I need to speak to Scott for a moment, if you don't mind," the Professor said, giving Hank a pointed look.

Nodding slowly, the big blue Doctor moved to the door. "I'll just go check on our Southern Belle then," he replied. "Let me know if you need something later for those aches, Scott," he added, then left the Professor and Scott alone in the private medical room.

"Sir?" Scott asked, wondering what couldn't wait until he had gone and cleaned up.

How to begin? Xavier wondered as he looked at Scott. The young man in front of him had come to him just before his teen years, a battered and broken boy, desperately in need of someone to help him. Since then, Scott had grown and matured in ways even Xavier hadn't expected, becoming a model student and X-man. And if Jean was the daughter he'd never had, Scott was most certainly his son; more perhaps than the one he had actually fathered. It broke Xavier's heart to have to be the one to tell Scott, but out of the adults who were present, he was the one Scott would take it from the best. Finally, Xavier pulled himself from his thoughts and sighed.

"What I have to say, Scott, its not easy for me. Nor will it be easy for you to hear."

Frowning, Scott was about to speak, when the Professor made a silencing motion.

"No, Scott. If you interrupt me, I'm not sure I can say this," Xavier murmured, fighting to keep his expression calming instead of giving way to the tears he so wanted to shed for his beloved students' plight. "Last night...Dr. McCoy and Dr. McTaggert brought something to my attention, after they had finished tending to Rogue. They themselves had not known prior to taking Rogue into surgery, and if they had, perhaps things might have been different. Unfortunately, there is no way to know now." Xavier took a deep breath, even as a single tear slipped down his cheek. "Rogue found out yesterday afternoon, as she prepared for the Gala, that she was pregnant."

Scott's heart was suddenly in his throat. Pregnant? She was...

Xavier's voice cut through Scott's shock. "Scott...the injuries to her abdomen...that splinter..." Xavier's voice shook with emotion. "She lost the child at some point, likely the moment that wood pierced her. I...I'm sorry."

The blood, Scott thought, remembering how much their had been. Some of that had been from...oh god...He raised his hands, looking at them. His love's blood, his _child's_ blood...Scott stared at his hands. Red, always red. He _hated _the color red. Red was blood, red was loss, red was _pain._ Something snapped in Scott's mind, and a sound that was half tormented scream half enraged yell tore from his throat. His angel...their child..._their blood on his hands..._ Scott lashed out, striking at something, anything, pleased when his hand made contact with some medical equipment and sent it flying. Rage he could handle; the pain, the utter hopelessness and loss that threatened, he couldn't. He reached for something else, anything, and when his hand connected with something small, it too was sent flying, this time with enough force to crack the window that looked out into the rest of the medical building.

For the next fifteen minutes, Scott tore at the room, trying to stem the aching in his heart. Through it all, Xavier watched silently, his own heart breaking. His son, his poor boy. Already Scott had lost so much, and now...now this. A part of him worried if this would be what broke the young man, but reminded himself that Scott still had Rogue. If only the girl was awake, they could grieve together, as they should be able to. But Rogue couldn't know just yet, her condition was far too fragile. So for now, Scott would have to suffer this pain without her.

As Scott's rage began to dissipate, his body began to shake. He toppled a machine that was still left standing, only to fall to the ground himself. His hands came into his line of sight, and he let out a dry sob. "Why?" he asked to no one in particular, his shaking becoming worse. Scott didn't hear the Professor move his chair closer, but when the Professor placed a hand on his shoulder, that was the end of any control Scott had. His body was raked with dry sobs, even as he clung to the arm of the Professor.

**Muir Island, Main Housing Building – Guest Room – 10AM**

Scott looked at himself in the mirror of a guest room's private bath, taking in the circles under his eyes, a few small scrapes on his face, the pain etched into every inch of his expression. It had taken roughly an hour for his dry sobs to stop, and even now his brain struggled with what had happened. Steam began to pour from the shower behind him, and Scott turned, stepping into the large shower stall. The water was hot, and had his skin a shade of pink almost instantly. But he welcomed the sting of it as he put his head under the spray. How was he supposed to deal with this alone? Damn it, he was only barely _19._ Reaching for the clarifying shampoo someone had left for him, Scott began to work it into his hair, forcing himself not to look at the floor where he was certain the dried blood from his hair and body was going down the drain. The ritual of a shower slowly worked its soothing way, and Scott took full advantage of the way his mind emptied as he used the strong soap and nail brush he had found on the counter. He scrubbed at his skin until it was very nearly raw, and every last trace of the past 16 hours was gone.

When he finally stopped scrubbing, and took a few minutes to stand under the spray that was beginning to cool, he felt his thoughts slowly return. How long had he been in the shower? He realized with a start that he might have missed being there when Rogue finally was allowed to wake, and turned the shower off. Exiting it, he grabbed a towel he didn't remember putting on the counter, beginning to dry off. Scott dressed in a hurry, pulling on the first clean pants and shirt he could find. It was then he realized he had no clue how to get back to the medical facility from the room. As if his thought was a cue, a knock sounded at the door to the bedroom. Opening the door, Scott found himself face to face with someone who had to be the 'Nate' that Rogue had told him about. The brown hair with white bangs left no doubt. "Um...hi," Scott said, wondering what had brought the telepath to his door.

"Hey," Nate said, his tone gentle but still mildly friendly. "Dr. McTaggert asked me to come get you. They think Rogue should be coming out from the anesthesia soon."

"Oh, okay." Scott made a 'just a minute motion,' and went back to his bag, switching his shades out for his visor. He'd have preferred his goggles, but they were still wet from the shower. With the way he had been breaking down, the less opportunity for accidents, the better. Turning, he went back to the door, and pulled it closed behind him as Nate moved off towards a set of elevators that Scott only barely remembered from his trip upstairs. Casual conversation eluded him, even though he knew it would be the polite thing to do, and all he could focus on now was Rogue.

Most of the night before was a blur, and he was sure he should be grateful for that. Even just the parts he remembered with clarity, like finding Rogue, were nearly too much for him to handle. It was no surprise to him that he had to be sedated the night before, though it was the first time in years, hell, a decade actually that someone had to do so. Emotionally, he wasn't ashamed to say he was somewhat stunted, especially when it came to loss. Having lost his parents, and supposedly his brother at a young age, plus what happened over the next few years after had made him all the more grateful when Xavier took him in. And as the mansion became home, and those who resided there became the only family he had, Scott had always feared loosing any of them.

There was no such thing in Scott's world as 'an acceptable loss,' and he absolutely despised the term being used by anyone. Now, with Rogue, it took on an entirely different feeling. He had thought, when he and Jean were an item, that loosing her would cripple him completely. There would've been nothing but a shell. Hell, to loose the Professor would likely cause a similar reaction. But the way he had responded last night and even this morning had only been the tip of the iceberg. Had Rogue not made it, had the Professor not intervened, Scott was quite sure he would have lost his mind completely. Without Rogue, his angel, his everything, he didn't even know how to breathe anymore. It was scary, the idea that he loved someone that much. The only way he thought he might love someone more, was if it was his child, a fact that was proven true earlier.

How was it possible, he wondered, that in the same moment he had found out how strong he could love in an instant, he had also felt the greatest loss? How was that fair? Some part of Scott's mind registered that he was being ushered back into the medical facility by Nate, and that again he had not paid attention to how to get here. It was then he found himself in front of a door, looking through glass at Rogue, and his breath came out in a rush.

They had laid her out in a bed that was far too wide for her slender frame, making her look smaller than she was. Reaching out, Scott opened the door and stepped into the room before he even realized he had. Rogue's hair and skin had been cleaned, and the dark of her hair was the only real contrast to the stark white sheets. Her right leg was in a full cast from foot to hip, and through the thin sheet could see where her left calf was also bandaged. Scott took another step into the room, his eyes looking at her face now. She looked peaceful, and something about the look on her face reminded him of how she had looked when he had held her last. God, how was he supposed to tell her? Or would someone else do it?

"I could tell her, if you want," the Professor's soft voice said from behind him, causing Scott to turn, finding him in the doorway.

"Why is the bed so big?" Scott asked, knowing it was an almost childish question, and had no bearing on anything. He had meant to tell the Professor that he could not tell Rogue himself, but that obviously had not been what came out.

A sad expression formed on Xavier's face and he folded his hands in his lap. "I'll tell her," he said, having picked up on Scott's thoughts. "And Dr. McTaggert thought Rogue might need the space," he added vaguely.

"Sir?"

Xavier sighed. "Rogue was...excited, when she found out. Given how emotional she can be, we have no way of knowing how she'll respond when I tell her. It is our hope that, should you be present, and close to her at that time, she'll be less likely to lash out. We don't want her to further injure herself."

Finally, it made sense. The bed was larger than necessary so that he could lay with her, allow her to get comfort from his presence. Knowing he would be allowed, Scott felt a sudden urge to climb into the bed beside her now, reassure himself that she wasn't an illusion. He took the last few steps to stand beside her, and hesitated in reaching out, realizing her skin was bare. "Her powers?" he asked, turning to glance at the Professor.

"Inactive," Xavier murmured. "We can only assume it is that way because of the energy her body must use to keep them active all of the time. Now, it is using that energy to heal."

Scott gave an absent nod, even as he finally took her left hand in his. The smoothness of her skin was unlike anything else, and the warmth underneath seemed to seep into him, banishing any lingering panic he had. He heard footsteps approaching, and only looked up from Rogue when he could tell they were near the room, finding the two Doctors standing there.

Hank gave Scott a sad smile, then glanced at Rogue. "She should be waking soon, we hope. Unfortunately, she might be in some pain, but until she does wake..."

Scott wondered what had caused Hank to trail off, and looked down at Rogue. Her formerly peaceful expression was now gone, and in its place was one of obvious pain. Her lips, a pale pink without the normal paint she used, parted and a gasp escaped. The hand he was holding jerked as if to pull away, then squeezed hard. Though he didn't know if she could hear him, Scott leaned down and began to murmur nonsense at her ear, praying it would help her focus and wake. "C'mon angel...I know...it hurts...please...please, open those green eyes..."

Another gasp escaped her lips when he began to murmur to her, and her hand gripped his even harder in response. Her right arm, though it probably hurt her to move it, lifted for a moment, then fell back to the bed as she gave a pained moan. Tears began to leak from the corners of her eyes, and Scott watched as her eyelids fluttered.

"That's it, hun..." he murmured encouragingly, lifting his other hand to cup her chin. He gently turned her face towards his, ensuring he'd be the first thing she saw, and was rewarded when her green eyes locked with his for a moment before closing again.

"S...S...Sc..." she tried to whisper his name, her voice hoarse and broken.

"I'm here...I'm right here..." he assured her. A quick glance at the doctors later, he shed his shoes and gently climbed onto the bed beside her. She began to try and turn towards him, only to gasp sharply when pain tore through her. "No...stay still," he told her, even as he felt his body give a small shake at her obvious pain. Smoothing her hair back, he forced himself to smile when her green eyes fluttered open again. She squinted against the light, but he knew the moment she really saw him, because despite the pain, a small smile curved her lips. His own forced smile became genuine at the sight of hers, and he leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "There you are," he whispered, now that her eyes were staying open. He glanced to the Doctors and the Professor who had watched all of this, their expressions sad. Apparently seeing her responding to him was enough, and neither Dr. McCoy or Dr. McTaggert made a move to examine her just yet.

"Sc...Sco..." she tried to speak again, frowning when she couldn't. Instead, she settled for squeezing his hand again, green eyes locked with his.

"Its okay," he told her, then shot the two Doctors a look. What was he supposed to say? 'Oh, yeah, I know you hurt, but you died twice last night while being operated on because of an accident that also cost us the child you were carrying.' Why weren't they doing something so she could talk?

His look seemed to spur Moira into action, and she came forward with a tablet that reminded Scott of one of those antacid things. "Open your mouth, lass," she instructed, and gave a tired smile when Rogue complied. Placing the tablet in her mouth, Moira finally explained what it was for. "Tha' should help with th' dry mouth. Make it a bit easier for ye t' talk."

Rogue waited a minute for it to dissolve in her mouth, then wet her lips before trying again. "Wha...What...happened?" she managed to get out, the pain forcing her to break longer between each word.

"There was an anti-mutant...well...perhaps anti-hero group that made it on to the island," the Professor said, rolling closer. "They caused an explosion at the event center...you, and several others, were injured."

Rogue's eyes went wide, and she glanced at Scott, then relaxed when she noted he bore no injuries. Focusing on Moira, she asked, "Th'...othahs?"

"All of Excalibur made it out with only scrapes and bruises thanks to Nate," she said. "Luckily, the X-men had not yet arrived in the building. To be honest, you suffered the worst injuries of anyone," Moira added, a sad look on her face.

"Ah...it...hurts," Rogue forced out, even as she again tried to move her right arm, stopping when pain radiated through the arm and into her shoulder.

"Yes, I'm quite sure it does," Hank said, moving into her line of sight. "We needed to ensure you were even able to speak," he added, placing one large hand on the foot of the bed. "In order to do so, we had to stop the pain medication temporarily. Can you tell me where the worst of the pain is?"

"My..." Rogue paused, her eyes looking down to her stomach. "My...stomach..." Suddenly, as if remembering something, her eyes focused on Moira, panic clear. "Where's Betsy?" she asked.

"I already know, lass," Moira told her gently, unable to stop the tear that leaked down her cheek. "Emma tol' me."

"No..." Rogue whispered, frantic. "No."

Scott grabbed her right hand in his just as Rogue lifted it to touch her stomach, squeezing both of her hands hard enough to get her attention. "Hun, don't..." he told her, not sure what would happen if she began to touch or worse claw at the area where Moira and Hank had spent so much time in surgery on.

Rogue's eyes began to fill with tears, and she looked back to Moira. "Please..." She wet her lips again. "What...is it...is it...please..."

Xavier had moved up to the head of the bed by this time, and reached out, touching an unbruised part of Rogue's right arm, gaining her attention. "I'm sorry, Rogue, the injury to your lower abdomen..." Tears began to run down the Professor's face as well, and his heart broke as he watched Rogue turn her head to bury her face against Scott "There was nothing...it was far too late."

When Rogue buried her face against him, Scott released her right hand, bringing his left up to cup the back of her head. Feeling her shake, Scott moved so that he was touching as much of her body as possible, even as his own body began to shake lightly. After earlier, his body was far too exhausted to have another proper breakdown, but he buried his face against her neck anyhow. He vaguely noted the sound of the two doctors and the Professor leaving the room, as well as the door shutting quietly behind them, but his primary focus was on Rogue.

"Sorry...so...so...sorry," she began to whimper, even as sobs raked her body, sending more pain shooting from her abdomen into the rest of her body. Another pained moan escaped her lips, and she squeezed the hand that was still held by Scott as the feeling rushed through her.

"Don't apologize," he whispered, "Not your fault..."

"But..."

"Shhh..."

"Oh...oh gawd..." Rogue gripped Scott's hand that had still yet to let go of her left even harder, probably cutting off blood flow, but neither of them cared. "It hurts," she whimpered, and even she wasn't sure if she was talking about the emotional pain or the physical. "So bad..."

"I know," his whisper became a choked sob, and he wished he could hold her properly, cling to her for dear life as he knew she wanted to do to him.

For untold minutes, Scott held on to her and she to him as the initial wave of sorrow hit her. When her body finally could take no more of the combination of pain, she drifted off, still clinging to his hand like a lifeline. Scott wasn't sure when someone came in and covered them both with a heavier blanket, but he assumed they must have finally given her something for the physical pain at the same time, because the expression on her face wasn't so severe now. His mind and body began to shut down, finally seeking the respite of a true sleep.

**A/N: **Okay, so that is chapter 14. And I'm having to grab a tissue myself after writing it. Short again, but I don't think you'll complain since its only a couple days since I last updated. :P

And yes, I am the cruelest author in the world for giving you the uber-fluff at the beginning only to end like this. I'd apologize, but I wouldn't mean it. O:)


	16. Act II - Ch 15 - Broken Pieces

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Act II**_

_**Chapter 15, "Broken Pieces"**_

**Author Notes: **So here is chapter 15 for you all! Sorry for delays, but real life decided to poke its head in. I don't like to write when my husband is home because I rarely get time with him with the shifts he works, and when his shift got changed for a week I struggled to find writing time. Anyhow...its done, I'm happy with how it turned out, and hopefully you are too. :)

And I know I said this last chapter, but I'll say it again. If you're a Scogue fan, go read TieDyeJackson 's stuff. Totally awesome, and I issued him a few challenges that he's knocked way outta the park. And be nice and leave him some reviews would ya? It makes me sad to see my review as the only one on a few of his pieces. :( I'm a very picky reader, so if he's on my fav/alert list you can take that to heart. I don't add just anyone! Oh, and PermanentGuest (one of my best reviewers) has finally posted something! A nice little Remy-bash with a touch of Scogue. Ahh...wonderful!

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred), Excalibur (Brian, Betsy, Emma, Sean, Tessa, Lucas, Lorna, Rogue, Mystique, Neal, Nate)

**Muir Island, Main House, Excalibur Wing, Living Room – Around 5PM Local time -**

"Vhy haven't zhey come to get us?" Kurt asked, even as he spun to continue his pacing in the limited area left in the living room. "Dr. McCoy said zhey vould be be vaking her hours ago!"

"I'm afraid that's my fault," Professor Xavier's voice said from the doorway as a couple of members of Excalibur moved aside to let him into the ring of X-men who had claimed most of the seats available in the massive living room.

"Professor?" Kitty said, even as she put a placating hand on Kurt's arm when he stopped near her.

"I asked Dr. McCoy and Dr. McTaggert to let Rogue sleep after they had ascertained she was okay," Xavier replied, placing his hands in his lap. "She did wake, and she is completely coherent without the medication. But right now, the best thing for her is rest."

"Zhen vhy is Scott down there?" Kurt asked angrily.

"How did you?" Xavier began to ask, then shrugged it off. "Never mind. Scott is there because Rogue needs him, and he needs her," he explained, though from the looks he received he realized he would have to give further explanation. He had not thought to ask Scott or Rogue what their feelings were on everyone knowing just yet, but he knew that in the future they would need the support of their friends. And right now, that news might be the only thing that kept the X-men from being upset at his refusal to let them see her. "Dr. McCoy did not list all of Rogue's injuries last night," he said, sighing heavily. How many times would he have to go through this? Already it was two too many.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Jean asked, gripping Kitty's hand on one side and Alex's on the other.

"Kurt, perhaps it would be best if you sat down," Xavier said, looking to the boy. After a brief moment where Kurt hesitated, he sat next to his mother. "Thank you." Taking a deep breath, he was about to speak when he felt a mild push against his telepathic shields that he didn't recognize.

_'I can tell them if it is too much for you,' _Emma's voice rang in his mind, and he glanced to her.

After a brief moment to think on it, he sighed. _'I appreciate the offer, but they will take it better from me I think,' _he informed the young telepath.

_'As you wish,' _Emma replied, then withdrew from his mind.

"My apologies," he murmured to his students, most of who recognized he had been in telepathic communication with someone. "Now this is going to be quite a shock for you all," he added, "but I must ask you to bear with me. I've already had to say this twice, and it has not gotten any easier to say."

By now, the X-men were all seeking some gesture of comfort from those near them, wondering what on earth could be so bad that it was obviously affecting the Professor. Not even the other adults, except Logan, knew.

"Yesterday afternoon, as she readied for the Gala, Rogue discovered she was pregnant," the Professor said, and the silence that followed would have allowed you to hear a pin drop. A few began to realize where this was going, and silent tears formed in their eyes. "The injury to Rogue's abdomen...it..." Unable to finish, as tears ran down his own face, Xavier gestured to Emma to pick up for him though it was really unnecessary at this point.

"She lost the baby," Emma said, blunt though her tone was far more gentle than her norm. "Which is why Scott is allowed to be with her right now. They need time, just the two of them, to grieve."

Kurt wiped at his tears. "Can I at least see her?" he asked. "I don't have to go in zhe room...just..."

"After dinner, you can all go down in groups of two or three," Hank spoke from the doorway, glancing at the Professor. They would have to let Rogue and Scott know that everyone had been told, and pray nothing came of that. "But right now, she's sleeping." But when he saw the look on Kurt's face, the big blue Doctor caved. Sighing, he looked around the room to judge who else should be allowed to see her with Kurt. Jean? She had seemed rather distraught at what happened, and she'd likely want to check on Scott too. Kitty seemed the other logical choice, given how close she was to Rogue, and that the young brunette could use the reassurance.

After sharing a glance and brief telepathic communication with Hank, Professor Xavier looked at his students. "Kurt, Kitty, Jean and Alex. You four may go over to the facility with Dr. McCoy. If, and only if they are awake will you be allowed to enter the room. Understood?"

Raven bristled visibly. "I am not allowed to see my own daughter?" she asked angrily.

"I would prefer to let her be awake when you see her," Xavier said, not looking the least bit worried about her current reaction. "We are all aware of how volatile you can be...I would rather not risk you deciding to do harm to Scott simply because you decide he is to blame for this somehow."

Folding her arms over her chest, the shape-shifter glared at him. "I wouldn't harm him. She has made it quite clear to me that if I ever did, she would end our relationship. We're only just beginning to be able to speak civilly. You think I would risk that?"

"Be that as it may, I will not risk it." Xavier gave her a serious look. "You will be allowed to see her, just not right now."

Raven turned away from Xavier, her expression softening when she looked to her son. "If you get to go in, tell her I wanted to see her."

Kurt nodded slowly, then looked to Dr. McCoy. "Can ve go down now?" His eagerness to see his sister had his tail beginning to twitch from side to side as it had not done in nearly 24 hours, making Kitty smile as she rose to stand with him.

"Yes. I need to head back over to help Dr. McTaggert check a few other patients," Hank replied, then glanced to the others. "After dinner we will sort out the remaining of you into smaller groups to come see her."

Emma gave a small smile. "You all can be the first," she told him, obviously speaking of the X-men. "The rest of us will see her once she's more up to visitors."

Xavier nodded gratefully. "That's appreciated."

"She's your family. And while we hope she'll consider herself a part of ours as well, we know that takes time," Brian said, a kind smile on his face.

"Ah, Mr. Braddock," Hank said, having not noticed that the man was in the room. "Dr. McTaggert wanted to new X-ray of that arm," he added, pointing to Brian's left arm, which was in a sling.

Nodding, Brian moved away from the wall he had been leaning on. "I figured she would."

Motioning to the four Xavier had mentioned, Hank gave them a reassuring look. "Lets go see if Rogue is awake, hmm?"

**Muir Island Medical Facility – Around 5:30 local time – Private Recovery Room**

Again it was the sound of medical machines that woke Scott, this time though, his brain was fully functional immediately upon waking. His eyes looked to Rogue soon after opening, and he was relieved to see the peaceful look back on her face. As if she sensed him watching her, her eyes began to flutter open, making a soft smile form on his lips. When those green eyes opened fully, he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. "Hey..." he murmured softly.

"Hi..." she replied just as softly, a sad expression forming on her face. "Please tell meh Ah was dreamin' earlier..."

"I wish I could, hun," he whispered.

Tears began to form in her eyes again, and she took a shaky breath. Opening her mouth to speak, a broken sound escaped instead, and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to compose herself. The pain was unimaginable, but Scott wasn't loosing it right now. Or so she thought, until she felt his body shake beside hers. She forced her eyes to open again and stared at him, finally seeing beyond the caring expression he had. Most would struggle to see anything else, especially with the sunglasses that hid his eyes, but she knew him as well as she knew herself. With Scott, it was more than facial expressions that told you how he felt. His body and mannerisms were as much of a give-away, and right now they told her all she needed to know. He was suffering as much as she was, something that reassured her. She had someone who would be able to understand the pain, this absolute agony that ripped at her soul. To dream had been bad enough...for it to be reality...

"Hun?" Scott asked, brushing a lock of white away from her face and pulling her from her thoughts. He had laid there for what seemed like minutes watching emotions play through her eyes, and when tears had leaked from the corners, he felt his own body shake, wishing to whatever God might exist that he could cry.

"Sorry," she breathed, and began to move her left hand, surprised to find it still encompassed in his. She had held his hand the entire time they slept? Until now, she had always thought she'd be excited the first time she felt the skin of someone else against her own. So much for expectations. Right now, all she could think was how it might have been, though her dream was certainly one possibility. "Ah just...Ah can't...Ah..." she paused, then a movement at the door caused her head to move on the pillow. "Doc?" she asked, looking at Hank curiously.

"Ahh, you're awake," Hank said, pleased. "I thought I'd come see how you were doing, and if you needed anything else for pain."

"Not unless ya have a time machine, so Ah can undo th' past 24 hours..."

Hank gave her a sympathetic look as he approached the bed, checking machines and her IV line. "I wish I did," he replied, meeting her eyes for a moment. "I truly wish I did."

Giving him a small, pained smile, she sighed. "Was worth askin."

Scott squeezed her hand tightly and pressed another kiss to her forehead. "We could always ask Forge," he only half teased, and attempted to ignore the ache in his chest as he thought about all that could have been changed.

"You have a few visitors, if you're up to it," Hank interrupted, knowing how dangerous the thoughts the two were having could be on their overall emotional state.

Rogue glanced at him again. "Do...do they know?"

"The Professor and Ms. Frost told them not long ago," Hank said slowly, hoping neither would be upset, and was relieved when Rogue nodded.

"Ah dunno if Ah could'a told em..." she admitted.

"I know I couldn't have," Scott added, though his eyes were only on Rogue. "I had no idea how to tell you...Though I feel bad the Professor had to say it three times..."

"Three?" she asked, then it finally clicked and she winced. "Oh." Briefly she wondered what Scott's reaction had been, but decided now was certainly not the time to ask if there were visitors outside the room. Pulling her hand from his long enough to wipe at the remains of her tears, she looked at Scott. "Ya okay with whoevah it is comin in?"

Scott smiled briefly at her. "Its more about what you feel up to, hun. You're the one who's injured."

Giving him a pointed look, she laced her fingers with his again. "You are too, sugah...just not in a way that's visible," she reminded him softly.

Nodding, he sighed and laid his forehead against hers. "True. But I think its okay, whoever it is."

"Kurt, Kitty, Jean & Alex," Hank informed them.

Rogue gave a soft smile. "Then its okay."

Walking back to the door, Hank pulled it open to admit the four he had mentioned. He had already warned Kurt against teleporting, so it was a tight pack of four who entered. They paused just inside the door, surprised to see Scott on the over-sized medical bed with Rogue, but it didn't take them long to recover. Since Scott had his back to a wall with the way he was laying, all four moved to Rogue's right side, sympathetic looks on their faces. One look at Kitty and Jean made it obvious they had cried very recently, and both looked as though they'd like nothing more than to climb in the bed next to Rogue and Scott and hug them until they all could quit crying.

Kurt was looking solely at his sister, and had rested his hand gently over her right as soon as he was close enough. Though she might pay for it when the pain meds wore off, Rogue turned her hand over under his so he could hold it, which he did immediately with a small smile. Alex shot his brother a look, glad to see Scott wasn't having another breakdown. The one he'd had before the Professor subdued him had freaked Alex out big time, and he didn't know if he could stand to see his normally in-control brother loose it like that again.

"Like, oh god..." Kitty began, her voice a bit hoarse from all of the crying she'd done. "I am so glad you're still here!"

Rogue looked confused, and glanced at Scott before turning back to Kitty. "Where else would Ah be Kit?"

Scott realized Kitty couldn't voice it, so after swallowing back the lump in his throat that appeared any time he thought of how close it had been, he answered. "Hun...we nearly lost you last night..."

"Lost meh?" Rogue repeated, then realization sunk in a moment later. "Oh..." Squeezing her brother's hand tightly, knowing it must have impacted him greatly, she looked at those around her. "Ah..."

Knowing what she was about to do, Scott put a finger to her lips. "Uh uh, you're not apologizing. You're not to blame."

"Ah know," she murmured. "Ah just hate that ya'll...gawd...no wondah ya were so glad when Ah woke up," she added, looking at Scott and Hank.

"Indeed," Hank told her as he changed out her IV bag.

Scott leaned in, placing a kiss on her cheek this time as his right hand came to grip her left. "You have no idea."

Jean reached out, touching Rogue's right arm. "But we're all just glad you're gonna be okay."

Appreciating the fact that Jean acknowledge that she was not already 'okay', Rogue gave her a quick look. "How are you?" she asked, having noticed the fact that Alex was standing right next to her, very nearly close enough to touch.

Jean gave a soft smile. "I'm fine. Still no more breakdowns since the last one you know about."

Another sound at the door drew their attention to Hank, who was pulling a couple of chairs in, and within minutes, the four were seated around the bed. Soft conversation resumed, with the most delicate topic that they could have discussed being avoided, as much because the teens had no idea how to broach it as anything. Before now, their biggest worries had laid in the realm of normal high school troubles mixed with those unique to mutants, especially since they had been publicly outed. Anything to do with pregnancy was not something they had really given much thought to, other than when rumors of a pregnancy scare spread in school, and nothing like this had ever been so close to home. So to say they were at a loss was to put it mildly. Instead, they focused on keeping Rogue smiling, and enjoyed the simple fact that for the first time since they had met her, they could use a touch on the hand or arm to comfort.

Scott seemed content to listen to the conversation, his eyes rarely leaving the face of the girl he called his angel. When he called her that in conversation, he noted the way the others stared at him, but ignored it. He was quite sure Kurt and Alex would ask him about it later, and that Kitty would gush about how sweet it was to the other girls; all that mattered to him was that it made Rogue look at him as if he was the wonderful one. At just after 6, Hank returned to the room, announcing that the others should head back to the main building for dinner. Though they objected mildly, they all gave Rogue a brief hug and patted Scott on the shoulder before filing out of the room obediently.

He was just settling in properly beside her again, when Scott noted the way Rogue was looking at him. "Hun...no..."

"Ya honestly think Ah'm gonna let ya tell meh no?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm fine right here. I'll eat when you do."

"Um...sugah, Ah kinda doubt Ah'm eatin' anythin' anytime soon."

Wincing, Scott sighed. "Right. I just don't want to leave you here alone..."

Rogue squeezed his hand tightly and gave him a brief smile. "Ah'll be fine."

"Honestly, I don't need to..."

"Scott Summahs," Rogue began sternly, her expression serious. "Ya get yo' ass t' that dinin' room an' have somethin' t' eat _now _or Ah'm gonna have Hank bar ya from th' room. Ya heah meh?"

Despite his protests, at the idea of food his stomach gave a weak growl. It had been over 24 hours since he ate after all, and now that the initial concern over Rogue had passed, his body was craving to return to some sense of normalcy. That included having food. Knowing she'd heard the insistence of his own body, Scott sighed. "Alright, alright...but I'm coming back here right after..."

"Right after ya change clothes and walk around for a bit," she informed him in her no nonsense way. "Its bad enough Ah'm trapped in heah lovah," she told him, her tone softening. "Ah don't want ya closetin' yaself in heah with meh, Scott."

Knowing she'd never give up until he agreed, he leaned in to place a chaste kiss on her lips. "Alright hun..." Pulling back, he looked at her for a moment. "I'll be back after everyone else has come to see you, okay?"

Nodding, she coaxed him down for another quick kiss. "See ya in a while..."

Sliding from the bed carefully, he didn't release her hand until he began to walk away, and even then held on as long as he could. When she gave him one last encouraging look, he left the room and looked around for a moment, wondering how in the hell he was supposed to get over to the main house. He was just about to go back in and as Rogue when he spotted a couple of semi-familiar faces exiting a room marked 'X-ray.' "Dr. McTaggert?"

Moira spun to look towards the room. "Mr. Summers?" She gave a hint of a smile as she stopped to give him her full attention. "Wha' can I do for ye this evenin? The lass alright?"

Scott gave a half amused look. "Well, she just argued with me until I agreed to go to dinner, so I guess she's okay. But um...I honestly don't know how to get there."

Moira glanced to Brian who was standing beside her. "Sounds like th' lass is fine enough, alright. Brian can show ye th' way back ta th' main house."

Brian nodded immediately. He had read the files on the older Summers brother and had been keen to meet the leader of the X-men. "Sure. I was about to head back over anyhow." Glancing to Moira, Brian gave a brief smile. "Do you want Dr. McCoy or someone to bring you some food later? Or would you rather we just leave you a plate in the fridge?"

"Jus' leave it in the fridge," she told him, even as she glanced at Rogue's room. "I think I'll go sit with Rogue for a few minutes."

Brian motioned to Scott to follow him, and as they began to walk towards the hallway that connected the medical facility and house they heard Moira enter Rogue's room and engage the girl in conversation. After placing his hand on the palm scanner, Brian glanced at Scott. "If you ever want to come back down here when you're by yourself, you just need to key in a code on that other panel," he gestured to a keypad just below the scanner, "and you'll be able to come and go. The palm scanner is just easier for those of us who are here all the time."

"Oh," Scott said, glancing at the few doors off the hallway they were in. "What are these rooms for?"

"They're just conference rooms basically, but that one," he pointed to a door ahead on their right, "has cots, and I don't even remember what all else. Allows us to turn the rooms into an emergency bunk area if we needed, or overflow from the medical facility."

Impressed, Scott nodded. "That makes sense. It seems like having all the funding you do has made it a lot easier on you guys. I mean, the Professor has a fair bit of money, and I know Magneto has funded the Institute off the books for years, but its not quite the same as having multiple governments and military organizations helping you."

Brian nodded in agreement. "Its definitely nice, especially with all the technology we get. Bill goes absolutely crazy every time we get new stuff."

"Bill?"

"He's kind of like that Forge kid Rogue's told us about. Total techno genius. Can build pretty much anything." As they entered the main house, Brian steered Scott towards the left, where they could hear a lot of conversation coming from.

"Cool," Scott replied. "We're still trying to get Forge on board with joining the X-men, even if its sort of a casual thing. I mean the stuff he can build is just crazy. He did some upgrades to our Danger Room with Dr. McCoy, and the Sims are so much better now."

"You should try out our Sim Room," Brian said with a smirk. "Rogue keeps saying it puts yours to shame."

"Maybe later," Scott assured him. "Rogue made me swear I wouldn't stay with her 24/7 when she talked me into coming up for dinner tonight. So I guess I'll have time to kill."

Brian laughed dryly. "I can imagine. Something tells me that girl could talk anyone into anything."

"You're probably right," Scott said with a laugh of his own, the first since arriving on the island.

Before Brian could say more, they had arrived at the dining room, and as soon as Alex spotted his brother, he gave a wave, motioning for Scott to come sit by him. Scott gave the Excalibur leader a brief look.

"Thanks for showing me how to get back here."

"Not a problem," Brian told him, even as he took his place at the head of the table.

Scott moved over to sit by his brother, glancing around the table at those gathered. It seemed that other than Rogue and Moira, all of Excalibur and the X-men was present. Dinner was a fairly simple affair, and apparently the meal had been fixed by the chef who normally prepared the meals for the students Moira cared for. As it had been when Alex, Jean, Kitty and Kurt visited Rogue next door, the topic of her injuries and pregnancy were avoided totally, something Scott was grateful for. No one missed the way the members of Excalibur spoke of Rogue when she was mentioned, as if she was already completely one of them.

When Xavier asked casually about how Rogue's training with her powers was going, he was surprised at how impressed the four assembled Excalibur telepaths were with Rogue and her overall mental prowess, and floored to hear that already they had discovered that Rogue's powers had at some point evolved to give her a perfect memory.

"She can perfectly recall events that have happened not just to her, but to those she's absorbed as well," Nate explained as he took a break between bites. "Its kinda a mixed blessing and curse, for obvious reasons."

"But she's handled it really well," Betsy added, a proud smile on her face. "And this past week I found a block in her memories that might hold some answers for us on her past and possibly her powers."

Professor Xavier lowered his still full fork back to his plate. "How did you discover this block?"

"I was attempting to replay her earliest memory. There was something off about the beginning, and the more I tested, I recognized what it was." Seeing the look the Professor was giving her, she fought the urge to roll her eyes. She had been working with other mutants since she was 17, she knew what she was doing for goodness sake. "But in case I was wrong, I had Emma and Tessa test it as well. Their findings only made it all the more clear that its actually more than a simple block."

"Someone tampered with her memories," Emma informed them bluntly, her tone no-nonsense as usual.

"Tampered with?" Jean asked, surprised. How could the Professor have missed that.?

"How could I have missed that?" Xavier asked. "I searched the girl's memories numerous times trying to help her."

"If I hadn't been so focused on her first memory, I might not have noticed it either," Betsy admitted. "Its so subtle, you almost have to be looking for it specifically. Whoever did it was extremely talented in memory manipulation."

His breath coming out in a sigh, Xavier rubbed at his temples. "None the less, I knew there was the possibility, once we discovered she had no memories before that age. I should have seen it."

"As I told Rogue, even the best of us miss things sometimes," Betsy reminded him, and managed to not sound condescending. "At least its known now, and we can try to delicately undo the tampering to see why it was done in the first place."

"I wish I could be present for that," Xavier mused. "I've regretted for quite some time not being able to do more for her."

"Well, could you connect with her while you're in Cerebro?" Emma asked.

"I should be able to," Xavier admitted.

"We'll have her let you know when we plan on working on the block. We were wondering what we'd use as a focus for her, and your presence in her mind might be just what we need since she's so accustomed to you," Tessa informed him, a slight smile on her face.

Xavier had a relieved look on his face when he replied. "That would be much appreciated. Anything I can do to help her after all this time would be a relief."

Betsy smiled at him as well. "She would say you don't owe her anything, you know. I've seen it in her mind. She feels as though you, and the rest of your X-men, were the best family she could ask for."

A lump formed in Professor Xavier's throat, and all could see the sheen of happy tears in his eyes. He didn't need to say anything in response to that, the pride and relief was in every line of his face.

**Muir Island, Main House, 7:30 PM -**

Scott sighed as he leaned back in a chair in the living room, trying to focus on the movie someone had put on. Wanda, Kitty and Jean had managed to talk their way into being the first ones down to see Rogue after dinner, with Ororo accompanying them. That left a lot more people who still wanted to go down before Rogue went to sleep, and Scott was seriously beginning to regret saying he would not go back down until everyone else was through visiting for the night. Just as he was about to sigh again, he felt a tap on his shoulder, and glanced up to see Brian there. Curious, he followed the older guy from the room.

"What's up?" he asked once they were a few feet from the doorway.

"Just saw you were bored. Missing her already huh?" Brian asked, sitting down in one of the many easy chairs that lined the massive hallway.

Taking the chair closest to where Brian was, Scott gave a wry smile. "That obvious is it?"

"Well, given that she had the same look when she first got here, yeah."

"She did?" Scott asked, caught off guard.

"Of course. Only time she was totally happy was after she had talked to you."

"Hmm."

"Anyhow, thought maybe you could use someone to talk to...its been a busy past 24 hours, and lets face it...no one in that room," he gestured to the living room where the X-men were, "is going to offer you the chance right now. They'd rather give you time to try and work it out alone. Which is the last thing you need, more time to stew on what you and Rogue lost all by yourself."

Surprised, Scott gave the guy in front of him a considering look. Rogue was definitely not up for talking about it all, not right now anyhow. Until now, he hadn't thought he was ready to either, but maybe it would help him sort things out in his head. "Is there somewhere else we can talk?"

"Sure." Pushing back to a standing position, Brian pointed to a door not far off. "In there should be fine."

Following Brian to the room, Scott realized upon entering that it was someone's office, quite probably Brian's given the masculine decor. "Nice office," he commented idly, then took the high-backed chair he was offered.

"Thanks," Brian replied, taking the seat opposite Scott. "Used to be Moira's office before she moved her's to the medical facility."

"Ahh." Scott noticed a photo of Brian and Betsy with Moira that had to have been taken years ago and gestured to it. "How long have you guys known Dr. McTaggert anyhow?"

"Since we were kids, actually. My family has known hers for ages. At first our parents kind of took a step back when she began all her mutant research, but then when they realized Betsy and I were mutants, well...they knew she'd take care of us and help us any way she could. So we would travel here pretty frequent when our powers first developed. As soon as Betsy's telepathy really was controlled, we started helping the good Doc with her other patients and students."

"Wow," Scott said, surprised. "I didn't realize anyone but the Professor was taking kids in until we found out Rogue was coming over here."

"We try to keep under the radar, rather like you did. Hell, lately some of our supporters are after us to make a sort of 'black-ops' team. One that no one knows exists. Let Betsy and I be sort of the faces of the team, then let others fade into basically non-existence. Kind of wish we already had one after that damned bombing. God I wish I could go after whoever the hell did it..."

"Me too..." Scott admitted, a frown forming on his face that mirrored Brian's. "I keep thinking about when I first saw it go up...remembering how it felt thinking she was gone..." His fists clenched on the armrests, even as his body gave a light shake.

Brian nodded. "For a minute I thought we all were, when I heard the explosion...seemed like it was right bloody next to me." Rubbing at an ear with his free hand, he grumbled. "Though I'd never hear properly again to be honest."

"You're lucky all you got was a broken arm and some scratches I heard Dr. McCoy say."

"My powers protected me from the worst of it...I mean for that blast to break my arm means it had to be close."

"Wasn't your sister there with you?" Scott asked.

"Yeah...we're still not sure how she managed to get out unscathed when she was right next to me. Tessa has always said Betsy has some untapped telekinetic ability though, so we're wondering if maybe that finished manifesting to protect her." Brian sighed, running his good hand through his hair. "Scared the bloody hell out of me, thinking that if my arm was broken then what had happened to her..."

Letting out a low whistle, Scott gave an understanding look but said nothing. What was there to say really? Every member of Excalibur and the X-men had seen how he had broken down when Rogue flat-lined. So it was obvious he knew exactly where Brian was coming from.

Sensing an opening to finally get Scott really talking, Brian leaned forward. "You know, it was pretty clear you two are just as close as Rogue's made you out to be..."

Scott gave a wry smile. "She talks about us?"

"Well, not to me really, but she's talked to Betsy a bit. Apparently my sister saw your photo and was going to seduce you when you got here...until she found out you were taken. Rogue went into some detail in order to further deter the other girls from attempting anything with you." Smirking, Brian added, "Said that you weren't the Boy Scout everyone else made you out to be."

"God I hate that nickname," Scott groaned. Then he took a better look at Brian. "Wait...why do I get the feeling she said something else along with the Boy Scout comment? Something not meant for general conversation?"

Laughing, Brian didn't even bother trying to reassure Scott otherwise. "Its amazing how persuasive two telepaths can be without their powers when a girl, even one as reclusive as Rogue enjoys the topic."

As a blush began to form, Scott lowered his head into his hands. "Oh god..."

The two leaders spent the next 15-20 minutes laughing about how Betsy and Emma had managed to get Rogue talking about things she normally wouldn't, and about women in general. Once Brian could tell that Scott had let his guard down completely, he gently broached the topic that none of the X-men seemed willing to touch. It took some carefully worded questions and observations to get Scott talking even then, but once he began to reply honestly about how he'd been feeling since Rogue left the X-men, it was like opening floodgates. Every thought he'd kept carefully concealed from the Professor, every worry, doubt and plain old fear he'd been suffering from became clear to the leader of Excalibur, who was an expert in reading between the lines.

Quite plainly, Scott was beginning to question his place with the X-men. It was clear the young man was very much in love with Rogue, and felt his place was with her. But more than that, the sudden realization that he had spent over 5 years under the roof of a man who might have been able to help him achieve control of his powers without said help was a blow to the gut. He loved and trusted Xavier with his life, there was no doubt about that. That made the doubts all the more damning, though. Scott was as good as a son to Xavier, anyone who watched them interact could see that. So how was it that for over 5 years, a brilliant man and gifted telepath like Professor Charles Xavier had never thought to do more strenuous tests to ensure it really was brain damage keeping Scott from being able to control his optic blasts?

"Its just...Bayville's been the only real home I remember. The idea of leaving..." Scott sighed, which had to be his hundredth during the course of their conversation Brian would wager. "But I know she needs me...and...if I'm being honest...I need her too."

"We can always use more people...and you said yourself it seems like Dr. McTaggert is the best one to help with your powers."

"I know," Scott rubbed a hand along his neck. "I just need to think on it, I guess. Maybe talk to Rogue."

Brian gave Scott a sympathetic smile. "Talking to Rogue would probably be a good idea."

Glancing at the clock, Scott noticed it was very nearly 9pm now, and had to wonder if the rest of the X-men had finished visiting Rogue yet. "The Professor plans on staying at least a week more, while she heals," he informed Brian. "So I'll talk to Rogue first, then go from there..."

Brian didn't respond for a moment, but when he did he also stood to stretch. "Betsy says that Mystique, Wolverine, and the other adults are the only ones down with Rogue now. All the others are watching some TV before bed. If you wanted to go down," he added with a smile. "Just know you'd have a place here...if you want it."

"I appreciate that," Scott admitted, also standing.

Before Scott could say anything, Brian's expression changed, and he began to head to the door. "Something's going on with Rogue...come with me..."

Scott didn't have to be told twice, and followed Brian out of the office and to the hallway to the medical facility. "What's going on?" he asked, lengthening his stride.

"I don't know for sure. All Betsy said was that someone touched Rogue and then Rogue started freaking out."

"Her powers," Scott assumed, and prayed he was wrong as both he and Brian broke into a light jog.

"That would be my guess."

As soon as they were in the medical facility, Scott full out ran, and came to a skidding halt just outside of the room where Rogue was, noting that only the two Doctors were in with Rogue. Glancing to the Professor, he also noted that Logan was actually sitting down and instantly realized what had happened.

"She absorbed Logan?" he asked.

"Yeah..." Logan grunted, rubbing at his head. "Never had a headache from her powers before," he added.

Brian came to stand next to Scott and rather than ask those outside, poked his head into the room to talk to Dr. McTaggert. "Is she okay?"

"Aye. Th' lass' powers are just a wee bit stronger than normal, but thanks tae his healin', all o' her wounds are gone. Physically at least, is as if nothin' ever happened."

From inside the room, Scott could hear her asking if Logan was okay, and moved past Brian and Hank to where she could see him. "Hey," he greeted, grabbing a pair of the same latex gloves the two doctors were using before taking her hand to hold it. "He's okay, hun," he assured her, reaching up with his other hand to smooth back her hair.

As soon as she saw Scott she relaxed some, and gripped his hand. "You're sure?" she asked, still worried, managing to ignore the way her skin was repeatedly exposed while the two doctors removed bandages and checked the skin underneath. "He barely touched meh, but it practically laid him out!"

"Your powers need time to stabilize again," Hank told her for the second or third time since the incident had happened.

"He's okay, I swear," Scott told her, giving a bit of a smile. "He's got a headache, but you know Logan, that'll be gone soon enough."

Rogue finally let out a deep breath she'd been holding, and closed her eyes for a moment forcing herself to relax more. "Okay...Gawd...that just..." leaning into the pillows, she sighed. "Tell him Ah'm sorry?"

"Sure. I'll come back when they're done, okay?" When Rogue nodded, he slipped from the room. Conversation stopped, and he glanced at Logan. "I'm sure you heard, but she wanted me to tell you she's sorry."

"I heard," Logan confirmed.

Nodding, Scott stood where he could watch through the windows as the Doctors finished checking her no-longer there wounds and asked her questions. He glanced at Emma when she came past carrying some of Rogue's clothes. Were they going to let her leave? He wondered, and couldn't hide his frown as Hank exited the room while the blinds were all shut to allow Rogue some privacy. Betsy left her brother's side to enter the room as well, glancing at Scott before she shut the door and giving him a reassuring smile. For some reason, though he didn't even really know Emma or Betsy, or even Dr. McTaggert, he felt better having the three of them in there with Rogue, and allowed himself to relax.

Scott wasn't sure of how many minutes passed, but when Rogue came out of the medical room clad in a pair of simple pajama bottoms and a tank top, he took only a second to look closer and assure himself she had on her body-stocking before moving to wrap his arms around her as he had wanted to ever since she had left.

The moment Scott's arms were around her, Rogue relaxed visibly, though her shoulders gave a small shake as though she was about to cry. Burying her face against his chest, she breathed him in and listened to his heart for a moment, reminding herself that she still had him. Lord it was going to hurt when he left, she thought, pulling her head back to look at him finally. He was looking down at her, a mix of love and sadness in his expression that she knew was in hers as well. It was then she noticed the others standing around, and fought the urge to blush or hide her face.

"Ya okay Stripes?" Logan asked.

Nodding, she gently moved to where Scott simply had an arm around her, her side practically glued to his. "Ah'm..." stopping herself from saying okay, which would be a complete lie, she sighed. "Ah'm good as Ah can be Ah guess."

Her mother moved away from the group, staying just shy of a foot from her. "Are you sure?" Mystique's golden eyes seemed to be checking over her, as though perhaps the Doctors had missed something.

"Ah'm sure," she told her mother. "Honestly, Ah just want t' go sleep in mah own bed..." Her eyes drifted to Scott, and she wondered if he'd be allowed to stay with her again, though she had a feeling that certain adults would frown on it now that she was healed.

Xavier obviously picked up on her thoughts and was about to speak when Moira cut him off, giving a gentle smile. "O' course lass...Why don't ya take her up Mr. Summers?"

Scott nodded and was just about to turn to head to the house when Xavier spoke up. "Surely you're not intending for them to share a room, Moira?"

Dr. McTaggert went from warm and friendly to positively frigid in a heartbeat. "Charles, th' pair o' them need time tae heal. If ye still are insisting on leaving in a week, then I have nae problem with them spending as much time taegether as possible. If that means them sharing a bed, then sae be it."

Xavier wore an odd expression, but nodded none the less. "You have a point," he admitted, and Scott had a feeling Moira had said something else to him telepathically. "My apologies...go on, Scott, Rogue. We'll see you in the morning."

Bidding everyone goodnight, the couple walked away, leaving a group of adults to converse. It wasn't until they made it to her room, after a brief stop to allow Scott to grab his things, that Rogue finally lost control and broke down. This was the first time since waking and finding she had lost their child she was able to cry properly, able to mourn, and her body took the opportunity gladly. Scott dropped his bag to the floor and scooped her into his arms. After gently placing her on the bed, he stripped down to his boxers to sleep and grabbed a sheer scarf from her vanity before joining her.

As soon as he was on the bed with her, she was in his arms, her body shaking with the force of her tears. Scott barely managed to get the scarf around her face in a way that would allow her to breath before she buried her face at his neck, and he held her tighter as he felt his own resolve begin to break. It had been hard talking to Brian earlier, but therapeutic too. Now though, with his angel in his arms, clinging to him for dear life, his body sought what it couldn't have...the release of a real cry. Instead, he clung to her just as tight, his body beginning to shake as hers was. He wasn't sure when they fell asleep, but he certainly remembered the feeling of her starting to calm in his arms, her whispering "I love you" warm in his ear as she drifted off.

**A/N:** So I'll end the chapter there, and get it posted before the end of the weekend (for me anyhow). Sorry for the delay, but Real Life can be a pain sometimes. Want to send a thank you to everyone reading this. When I type this, the story is at 115 reviews (not bad by Scogue standards), 67 followers, 38 favorites, is in 2 communities, and has over 10,830 views. So again, THANK YOU for reading, reviewing, and adding the story (or me) to your favorites and alerts. It means a lot!

**Review Response for Anoymous136:**

I do like Rogue, she's definitely my favorite female character from Marvel, but don't worry. By the time all is said and done she'll get a happy ending...maybe not the one she dreamed in Ch. 14, but you'll see later. :) Glad to have gotten reviews from ya and hope all is well!


	17. Act II - Ch 16 - The Choice You Make

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Act II**_

_**Chapter 16, "The Choice You Make..."**_

**Author Notes:** I got to re-reading this, and realized something. This has done almost a complete 180 from where I intended to go. And to be honest, there are some things I'm really not happy with how I've done them. In its original format, this story was intended to be a Rogue epic, not a Scogue Epic. She would've had romance, but it would've been over the course of years, with no "true love" until much later (and I wasn't even decided at that point who would be her 'true love'). Best of You was to follow Rogue over the course of 10-20 years post Evolution (with no set chapter cap), and show her changing from an insecure teenager to the woman she was (at that point) becoming in the comics.

So, knowing that, I pose a question to you, my readers. You can answer via review or PM. Would you prefer if I:

A) Create a new story that is the Rogue Epic I originally envisioned for this, and continue BOY as is.

B) Edit this from Chapter 4 onward to change it into the Rogue Epic and make a new Scogue

C) Just continue Best of You and leave the Rogue story for a later time.

I'm leading towards A, but I'd like some input from others, because I also am going to be starting work on an NC-17 Scogue for another website at some point not too far off. (There aren't really many out there, so I figure I can fill the gap a bit, lol.) I already posted 3 NC-17's over on the Adult Fan Fic website under the same author name for anyone interested. I may edit this (add in songs/sexier scenes) and post it there as well.

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred), Excalibur (Brian, Betsy, Emma, Sean, Tessa, Lucas, Lorna, Rogue, Mystique, Neal, Nate)

**Muir Island, approximately 2 days post Explosion – around 6:30 am – Rogue's Room -**

Stretching along the soft cotton sheets, Scott glanced over to Rogue surprised to find her awake and watching him. "Oh...did I wake you?" he asked, turning to face her.

"No...Ah've been wakin' up earliah since Ah moved heah," she murmured, rolling onto her back to stretch as well. A soft yawn escaped her and she gave a hint of a smile when Scott moved to lay on his stomach, his chin and folded arms resting over her stomach. Reaching down, she ran her fingers through his hair, making him close his eyes. "Why do Ah get th' feelin' ya wanna ask meh somethin?"

"Because I've been trying to since yesterday morning," he replied, opening his eyes behind the ruby quartz. "You remember I said Brian and I had been talking when Betsy told him your powers were back?"

"Mm," she said in way of reply, everything about her at that moment lazy and relaxed, from her half-closed eyes to the way her fingers had stilled in his hair.

"He got me talking about a lot of stuff...and...I um...I've been thinking about telling the Professor I want to move here..."

He felt her body tense a bit under his arms, watched her green eyes turn wary. "This isn't about meh is it?" she asked softly.

"Not 100%," he admitted and continued before she had a chance to cut him off. "Its for me too." Her mouth closed and she waited for him to finish. "Ever since the Professor said Dr. McTaggert had come up with a way I might be able to control my powers, I've been questioning some things. And I'm not liking the answers I'm coming up with. I just...I think I need to get away from Bayville, try and figure out who I am without being an X-man."

Rogue considered him for a moment, her fingers beginning to run through his hair again. "Ah c'n undahstand that. Its just hard t' think that th' Professah..." trailing off, she frowned. "Ah started t' wondah th' same...Ah mean, two years and not a single clue on how mah powahs work, but some othah Doctah takes one look at mah file and thinks she can do somethin?"

"Exactly," Scott said. "But...I mean, its the Professor, ya know? He gave me...us...a new life. A better one. Something to hope for...I hate thinking it, but I have to wonder if he knew we might leave if we got control."

"Ah dunno," Rogue admitted. "Ah've only absorbed him once, and what memories Ah have from him are kinda vague. So Ah can't get any insight that way. Ah know he cares about us...you in particular...Ah mean you're as good as a son to him. Which kinda makes this all worse."

"Not 'kinda,' it does make it worse," Scott grumbled, then sighed. "I just want a real chance at control..." he paused, looking at her. "And I know after this past couple days...we're going to need each other. More than before. I...I want this to work...us I mean. I just don't think that can happen if I'm still in Bayville while you're here."

Her frown was replaced by 'Scott's smile,' and she gently ran her fingers from his hair to trace along his jaw. "Ah know," she murmured. "Ah've been thinking how bad it'd be with you gone...when th' only way Ah can sleep is if you're heah with me. An' already things are headin' in th' right direction as far as mah powers go...I mean, less than a month inta properly tryin, Betsy an' Dr. McTaggert found out more about mah powahs than anyone else." Reaching for the scarf that she had removed when she woke, she coaxed Scott to lay beside her again instead of on her. Once he had, she moved into his arms, tying the sheer scarf over her mouth and nose. "Ah love you...an' if ya really think ya need t' be heah...not just for meh, but for you too...Ya know Ah'd support ya no mattah what, lovah," she added.

"I don't deserve you, angel," he sighed, looking at her. It was then, the words he'd spent what felt like forever trying to tell her fell from his lips ever so easily. "But I do love you...so much it scares me..."

Feeling her breath catch at the way he said it, she couldn't help but lean in to kiss him, pouring her emotions into it. When she finally pulled away they were both a bit breathless, and she smiled brightly. "Again," she requested softly.

A soft smile curved his lips, and he held her tighter. "I love you...my angel."

"Ah love you too," she murmured, then snuggled into him, careful of her bared skin. "Ah could stay heah forevah..."

Pressing a kiss to the side of her hair, he squeezed her tighter for a moment. "I could too." After glancing at the clock, he sighed happily. "Good news is we can say here for another 15 or 20 minutes before we have to even think about being ready for breakfast."

"Mm...good."

Closing his eyes, he felt himself starting to drift into a sort of light sleep, only to find what felt like a few minutes later Rogue was pressing her lips to his to get him to wake. After returning her kiss, he cracked his eyes and suppressed the grin that wanted to form when he saw her laying there watching him again. "Don't tell me our 20 minutes are up already..."

"Sorry, sugah...Ah'm gonna hop in th' showah first, but Ah'll be quick," she told him, even as she slid from his arms and to the edge of the bed. Standing, she stretched, then glanced at him. "Don't ya dare fall back asleep or Ah'll push ya outta bed when Ah get done," she teased.

Giving a fake pout, he crossed his arms over his chest as he rolled onto his back. "You wouldn't..."

Tossing a pillow at him, which caught him in the chest, she laughed. "Try meh." With that, she turned and headed into her bathroom, shutting the door behind her. After a few moments the shower was turned on, drowning out any further sound from the room.

Knowing Rogue would make good on her threat if she came out and he was still in bed, Scott got up and began to select something to wear that day. Ororo had warned them all she felt a storm rolling in, and as she was more reliable than any weatherman on TV, he dressed to stay in. A good 15 minutes had passed before he heard the shower shut off and another 10 before Rogue finally exited the bathroom, her hair in one of those claw clips as had apparently become her norm for after a shower. She smiled at him as he went in to get ready for the day, going to sit at her vanity as she pulled on the sheer gloves and put on a light bit of makeup.

When he exited the bathroom 10 minutes later, pulling on a plain white t-shirt she was completely ready, and finishing making up the bed. Grabbing her around the waist, he pressed a kiss to her hair, smiling. "You ready to go down, hun?"

"Yeah," she replied, turning in his arms to face him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she waited for him to lift the scarf she had around her neck so she could kiss him, then pulled back to return his smile. "Lets go eat, sugah."

"If you insist," he said, loosening his hold on her as they moved to the door.

"Ya know...Ah noticed ya didn't ask meh how Ah'm doin..."

"Because there's no point," was his answer. "We're both still hurting and trying not to dwell on it. Everyone else is going to be walking on eggshells around us, well, okay the X-men will be. I don't see a point in us being like that with each other. We deal with things in our own way," he added as he steered her towards the stairs instead of the elevator. "And I think I see you showing me this wonderful Sim Room everyone keeps mentioning at some point today because I seriously need to hit something if one more person tells me they're sorry, which will invariably happen at breakfast."

Laughing, she leaned in to him as they took the stairs down to the main level. "Ah think Ah can do that. But only if ya let me run somethin' with ya..."

As they came to the bottom of the stairs, they found Kitty and Jean staring at them, clearly surprised to hear her laughing. Scott only tightened his arm around her waist and smiled at the two girls. "You guys on your way to breakfast?" he asked, continuing on past them, making them have to either walk with them or not reply and continue staring.

At once, both girls seemed to come back to themselves and hurried to catch up with the leisurely pace of the couple. "Yeah," Kitty said, though she was still looking at them from the corner of her eye. "Kurt said something about someone making waffles..."

"That'd be Cameron," Rogue answered at once. "Any time we want waffles, Brian kicks him out of bed early," she added, smiling.

"Cameron?" Jean asked, curious.

"Bear, as we sometimes call him. He's a shape-shifter. Nice guy...He's in trainin' t' be a part o' th' team, actually."

"Is he that Irish kid?" Scott asked, remembering seeing some of the in-training members hanging around the night of the Gala failure, including former New Mutant, Rahne Sinclair.

"That's him," Rogue nodded. Entering the dining room, she smiled briefly at those who greeted her, and accepted a good-morning hug from her brother before taking the seat that had become hers next to Betsy. It put her clearly in the 'Excalibur' seating area, since all of the X-men were at the other end of the table, and she gestured for Scott to sit by her, ignoring the looks they received for not sitting with their 'family.' Smiling at Cameron as he came in from the kitchen, she engaged him in their usual friendly banter, eager for something normal. "So how early did Brian boot ya from bed this mornin, Cam?"

"Tae bloody early," the Irish young man said, even as he placed a massive stack of waffles at the X-men end of the table. Glaring briefly at the leader of Excalibur, he slid into his own spot with the rest of the team. "One o' these days I'm gonna knock 'im back outta th' room when he comes askin."

"Do that and you'll find your training doubled," Brian informed him, though the grin on his face made it hard to know if he was truly serious or not.

"Be worth it if I got t' sleep in first," Cameron replied with his own grin.

Glancing at Brian for a moment, Scott turned to Cameron. "Something tells me he'd come knock you right out of your bed and make you do the training then," he said with a smirk.

"Of course," Brian added, laughing.

Grumbling, Cameron cast a glare in Scott's direction. "Thanks for giving him ideas."

Rogue gave a quick laugh. "Ah doubt it was anythin' Brian hadn't already thought of."

"Sounds like something Logan would do," Bobby said from the other end of the table, though he only earned a brief glance from anyone other than the X-men, who laughed.

"Actually, I'd probably let Rogue come in and boot him out of bed...he'd be more afraid of her than me," Brian joked, and all of Excalibur laughed at the exaggerated frightened look on Cameron's face.

"Only cause he made th' mistake o' tellin' meh a couple of bits o' blackmail material," Rogue said with a shrug. "Its his own fault."

"Remind me why I made th' mistake o' thinkin' ya were a kind one?" Cameron asked, frowning.

"Rogue? Kind?" Lance asked and was largely ignored.

"Rose is kind," a new voice said from the door, and Rogue was out of her seat instantly to hug the large man who was entering.

"Z!" she said, even as she pulled back to look at him. There was a distinct coppery smell in the air, and she noted the black blood that was dried on his blue shirt. "What did ya get inta this time?"

"Jus' had some minor demons tae take care o'," Z drawled, even as he reached into the shadows and pulled out a special sized chair that fit his 6'8 frame better than those at the table. Sitting down on it in the corner, he didn't make any move to eat, and instead seemed like he was going to just observe.

"Z, go clean up okay? You know that smell puts us off our food," Betsy requested, giving a smile to the man.

"Aye, sorry," he apologized, and disappeared into the shadows.

"Um...who was that?" Kitty asked, staring at the chair.

"That would be our resident Demon, Z," Lucas said, since he was the only Excalibur member not with their mouth full at the moment.

"Demon?!" Kurt asked, surprised. "A real demon?"

Rogue nodded as she swallowed her bite. "Says he's a Shadow Demon...which is why he has th' powahs he does."

"What are his powers?"

Turning the attention to Ororo, Brian was the one to answer her. "Some of his powers are classified, because he's sort of our ace in the hole. But he can do the shadow teleportation you just saw, he can use shadows to talk to others, and his combat and swordsman skills are unlike anything I've ever seen. He says he's older than earth itself though, so assuming its true, he's had plenty of time to train."

The age comment seemed to catch the X-men off guard, and they simply stared at Brian. It was Logan who finally decided to speak up. "Older than Earth?"

"That's what he says, and we have no reason not to believe him. I mean his knowledge of events from recent history back that I don't think there are even written records from anymore is just uncanny."

Beast couldn't hide his excitement at the thought, and was about to say something when suddenly Z returned, no longer smelling of copper and in a fresh shirt, white this time. "This better, lass?" he asked Betsy, waiting for her approval before he sat down again.

"Yes, thank you Z," Betsy told him before returning to her food.

Sitting down in his chair, Z took a few moments to study Rogue carefully. "Somethin' happened tae ye when I was away di'n it, Rose?"

Rogue took a second, staring at her plate, before looking up at the demon. "Yeah," she murmured, and wasn't surprised when Scott reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. "But we'll talk latah, okay?"

Z gave a nod, though his golden eye stared at her. "Aye, tis fine, Rose."

"Why do you call her 'Rose?'" Kurt asked, and nearly shifted in his seat at the way Z's gaze turned to him, finding it creepy being unable to see the other eye.

"He has trouble pronouncing 'Rogue,' so we settled on somethin' he could say," Rogue informed the X-men. "An' 'Rose' was close enough Ah'd remembah t' answah." She glanced at Scott, a teasing smile on her face. "Ah tried t' get him t' say 'Kate,' but he kept messin' that up too."

Scott laughed, squeezing her hand again. "You keep going back to that don't you?"

"Was th' first time in...ages, someone called meh somethin' besides 'Rogue,'" she said, giving a small shrug. "Course Ah'd bring it up occasionally."

"When did someone call you Kate?" Kitty asked, having never heard the full story about the Lit assignment Rogue and Scott had done together not long after Rogue arrived in Bayville.

"Scott did when we got paired fo' a Literature assignment...we were practicin' when Fred took Jean that day. Was somethin' from Henry V."

Smiling, Scott looked at Rogue. "You still remember the lines?"

"Do you?"

"O fair Katherine, if you will love me soundly with your French heart, I will be glad to hear you confess it brokenly with your English tongue. Do you like me, Kate?" Scott said, perfect word for word from the script they had read 2 years ago.

"_Pardonnez-moi__,_ I cannot tell what is 'like me,'" Rogue replied, a soft smile on her face, her eyes solely on Scott.

"An angel is like you, Kate, and you are like an angel." Still smiling at her, Scott lifted the scarf from her neck so he could place a brief kiss on her lips, earning him a mouthed 'I love you' from his angel, which he returned gladly.

By now, every girl in the room was all but swooning at the sweetness of it, while the guys were torn between being surprised Scott could remember the script, upset that he made them look like unromantic fools and disgusted to have such a sweet scene in front of them while they were trying to eat.

"Like, oh my god..." Kitty murmured, smiling. "No wonder you had a huge crush on him after that!"

"No wonder indeed," Emma added, eyeing Scott as though he was a very special treat she'd love to have.

"Emma, put yo' eyes back in ya head," Rogue scolded, even as she turned to Kitty with a brief smile for her friend.

"Darling, he's handsome, a born leader, and has a way with words. There aren't many men like him, especially who are young enough for me to consider dating," Emma informed Rogue, a smirk on her lips. "You just might find yourself having to compete for his attention."

Scott tried to not look flattered but failed. "Much as I appreciate the compliment, Emma, I ignored this one," he squeezed Rogue's hand briefly, "far too long already."

Rogue laughed. "Besides, ya practically have t' hit up upside th' head repeatedly t' make him realize ya are even interested..."

Scott didn't bother to deny how clueless he could be when it came to women and gave his shy grin that caused so many crushes on him. The resulting laughter from the ladies was contagious, and soon the room was bursting with the sound.

**Muir Island – Brian's Office – Next Day, 11AM**

"You're totally sure about this then?" Brian asked the couple in front of him, glancing briefly at Dr. McTaggert who was sat beside him. "You know this is going to be a big change."

"We're sure," Scott told him. "After our conversation I did some thinking, and we," he gestured to Rogue, "talked about it yesterday more than once. You already know I was thinking about it anyhow. Now I'm just acting on something that makes sense."

"Then I'll get the ball rolling on our end. When will you speak to the Professor?" Brian asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Later today. Before dinner. We just wanted to let you guys know first, because she told me about the stuff you'd have to do so I could join the team."

"I'll begin tae get things ready for ye t' do some tests with our machines," Moira told Scott, all business at the moment. "And perhaps we can make some improvements tae that visor and the sunglasses ye wear. Make accidents less likely until ye have control."

Something in the way she made it sound inevitable that he'd have control, not simply possible made Scott feel as though he had made the right decision, and he smiled. "Thanks. It's a bit scary knowing one slip and there goes a wall or roof...or worse, a person."

Brian nodded. "It must be. But if anyone can help you, its the good Doctor," he said.

"I'm going to guess that ye two want tae continue sharing a room?" Moira asked, looking between Scott and Rogue.

"For now, yeah," Rogue said, speaking for the first time since they entered the office. "Ah don't know if Ah could sleep without him there..."

"Well, for Charles' sake, I'll order a room set up for ye, but he doesn't need tae know if ye use it or not," Moira added, smiling. Any fool could see the two were very much in love, and if having her 'boyfriend' around made it easier for Rogue, she saw no reason to separate them. Besides, they could use the emotional support as they sought control of their powers as well, not just for the more obvious reasons.

Scott and Rogue both smiled at her. "I'm sure he'll figure it out sooner or later, but if I at least have a room of my own, it might make everyone else feel better," Scott said.

"Exactly,"Moira said. "Now, I'll leave ye two tae talk out the rest with Brian. I've patients who need attention."

"See ya at dinnah, Doc."

"Thanks Doctor McTaggert," Scott told her.

Once Moira had left the office, Brian went over what would need to be done before Scott could officially join the team; a physical, some training, and that sort of thing, all of which Rogue had completed without knowing that it was prep for her joining the team. Then, he came to the point he hoped would not be an issue. "You know you won't be any type of leader, right?"

Scott laughed at that, surprising Brian. "That's what I'm glad for. I've been a leader ever since before the X-men were really formed. I don't even know who I am when I'm not one..."

"I won't say its not possible in the future, if you want to be one and we have an opportunity where you can I'd certainly consider it. But with their being only one team..."

"I'm not after your job, Brian," Scott assured him.

It was Brian's turn to laugh now. "That's good to know! Look, I seriously don't see us having problems. But all the same I wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting into." Glancing at Rogue, he saw her give a barely perceptible shake of her head, and realized she had left what might be Scott's biggest problem for him to have to explain. Sighing, he gave Scott a serious look now. "There is one more thing. And honestly, I probably should have brought this up before we let Moira go ahead and get the ball rolling on her side of things."

Frowning, Scott looked between Rogue and Brian. "Okay..."

"Scott," Rogue began, apparently willing to be the one to tell him now. "Excalibur...we're a military team...And that means we're given ordahs."

Scott seemed to be catching on and sighed.

Brian continued where Rogue had left off. "If we get orders, we follow them. No matter what that means. For those of us who've been here longer, its not so much of an issue any more. Yeah, we don't like it sometimes, but I doubt there's any soldier, past or present, who's liked every order they got. The question is...will you have an issue with that?"

"If the team is given an order, does it matter who carries it out?" Scott asked.

"No," was Brian's answer.

"Then I don't have a problem," Scott told him simply. "As long as I'm not expected to personally carry out orders I have a problem with, then I guess I'll just have to deal with the fact that someone else did."

Rogue squeezed her love's hand. "That's basically what Ah said," she informed him.

"Is that the only thing you thought I'd have an issue with?" Scott looked between the two.

"That was the only thing," Brian confirmed.

"Is there anything else that I need to know then?"

"No," Brian said, leaning back in his chair. "That covers it...unless you had some questions or something."

"Not that I...oh...what about a uniform? I doubt they'd want me in my X-men uniform."

"We'll get you set up this week some time. For now just relax...well, as much as you can anyway." Brian's gaze settled on Rogue, who he had not had a chance to talk to privately since she woke. "I keep meaning to ask if you need anything. But then I realize the only thing that's going to help is time." He gave a sad smile. "You do know if you want someone to listen while you talk, all of us will be here, right? Even if we can't understand exactly how you're feeling, we can at least let you vent."

Rogue gave him a grateful smile. "Ah appreciate that, Brian..." A soft sigh escaped her. "T' be honest...Ah'm not sure if Ah want t' talk about it just yet. Maybeh Ah should...but right now..."

"I understand," Brian said quickly. "Just wanted you to know we're here if you need us...that goes for both of you."

Since there really wasn't any point in continuing that depressing line of conversation, Rogue and Scott expressed their thanks again for his concern, before changing the topic to when Scott might expect to start training. After some debate, they opted to start after the X-men had finally left the island, to avoid any confrontations or bad feelings from his former teammates. After a few minutes more of discussion, Brian dismissed them from his office due to a phone call.

As they left the office, Rogue guided Scott outside, craving the fresh air after being inside for a couple of days. When they cleared the house by enough, a breeze from the ocean whipped at her face, and the first actually happy smile formed on her lips. "Lawd, that feels like heaven..." she said, enjoying the way the wind teased at her hair and clothing, and the smell of the water.

Watching her, Scott smiled as well. The wind did feel good, but not nearly as good as seeing her relax. He doubted she would stay that way long, probably only as long as they were outside, but he would take what he could get. Taking the few steps that separated them, he slid his arms around her waist from behind. She relaxed into him at once, and when he placed his chin on her shoulder, he breathed in the smell of her and of the ocean. From somewhere nearby a sea bird called and was answered by its flock, while from the cliffs he could hear the steady beat of water crashing into the rocks below. Turning in his arms, Rogue sighed and leaned her head back to look at him. She said nothing, just studied him for a moment before snuggling herself into him as close as possible, her head resting carefully against his shoulder. With a hint of a smile on his face, Scott held on to her. He would take what peace and quiet they had for now. Once he announced his plans to move to the island, he was sure they'd get little of either for quite some time.

**A/N: **Okay, so this wasn't supposed to be another short chapter, but real life keeps interrupting my writing, so I want to give you all something! Hopefully life gets back on track and I can begin to write again more frequently and start giving you my uber-long chapters again! Thank you to those who have added me and/or the story to favorites and alerts since last time! And as always, a huge thank you to anyone reading and/or reviewing. Until next time!


	18. Act II - Ch 17 - Amaryllis

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Act II**_

_**Chapter 17, "Amaryllis"**_

**Author Notes: **After posting chapter 16, I woke up with a clear head and think I might be able to get a few pages done before real life interrupts again. Its amazing how that happens. I post a chapter, and suddenly the next one manifests perfectly in my head after a good night of sleep. Sad part is, interruptions and lack of time to write sometimes make it hard to get it all out before I loose the perfect way I wanted to get things said. Ah well. Here is your next chapter, and I hope you enjoy! Oh, and the title is from a song by Shinedown that I had on repeat while beginning to work on this. Honestly, great song. YouTube it or something. :) There are some review responses at the bottom, so if you don't have an account take a peek to see if I left you a note!

Oh, and as a warning. Xavier is a bit OOC in a place or two. I swear this is on purpose, and you'll understand later. Its nothing to do with Onslaught (for those who remember that from the comics), but will serve a key roll in how things go from here between X-men and Excalibur. Please don't flame me for any of his thoughts/actions/words...again, you'll understand later. There is at least one point where this might seem a bit jumpy, and I apologize. Real Life interrupted for a couple days, and I lost my train of thought as a result. Hopefully its not too bad.

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for Rogue, that's harder than it is for the others. Will she be able to find herself again in Bayville? Or will it take new friends and a new location to make her the woman she knows she's meant to be? For that matter, how will the others react to a new Rogue?

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Scott, Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Gambit, Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred), Excalibur (Brian, Betsy, Emma, Sean, Tessa, Lucas, Lorna, Rogue, Mystique, Neal, Nate)

**Muir Island, Main House, Brian's Office, 2PM, 2 days post explosion (same day as Ch. 16) -**

"Might I ask what brought this on?" Xavier asked, and though his tone was perfectly even, the two in front of him could clearly see the hurt in his pale blue eyes. He couldn't quite understand why this was happening, not yet anyway, and was struggling to keep from showing more emotion.

"I just feel like I need to be here," Scott began to explain, his expression and body language all but pleading with the Professor to understand. "I know you and Dr. McCoy are trying, sir, but...You're having to send all of the information you get to Dr. McTaggert already, because she's the one who came up with the idea on how to help me. She _knows_ she can help me if I'm here, just like she's doing with Rogue. You and Dr. McCoy only _think_ it might work while I'm in Bayville. And on top of that...I've been an X-man since before it was a real team...since I moved in to the Institute basically. I honestly have no idea who I am outside of that. I'm 19, and all I know about myself is I'm a leader and a good student. That's not enough anymore."

Because she knew Scott couldn't hear his own tone and the way it was becoming increasingly agitated, Rogue placed her hand on his, gaining his attention and soothing him instantly. Once she could see he had calmed enough, she nodded at him to continue, a faint smile in her eyes to encourage him.

Taking a deep breath, Scott looked back at the man who had raised him the past few years and turned him into the young man he was now. "I appreciate everything you've done for me, Professor, please don't doubt that. You gave me something to hope for...a home...a family. But...I really think I need to do this...to be here, where I have a chance to be something more than just an X-man for a while...a chance to get control."

For once, Professor Charles Xavier was at a loss of what to say. He could sense the truth in everything Scott said, of course, could _see_ it in the young man's face, hear it in his voice. The fact remained though, this was the boy he considered his son. The one who he had expected to take over the Institute whenever his own time was over. Now, it was beginning to look as though that dream of his might not happen after all. When he had taken in Jean and Scott, seen their obvious affection for each other, Charles wasn't ashamed to say he had thought perhaps the two would marry some day, take over the Institute, raise a family there. Of course, now that Scott was with Rogue, who knew what would happen. _**Its because of her, **_a dark part of his mind whispered. _**She's slowly turning him against you and your X-men...**_ Xavier shook his head to clear the voice and tightened his shields. _No. Rogue has nothing to do with this, _he reminded himself. It had been his own idea to send her here, get her the help she deserved and needed for her own powers. _Doesn't Scott deserve the same? _He asked himself, taking a good look at the young man before him. _Of course he does. He's my son._

_**Then why would he do this? Why would he leave you so willingly if he's your son?**_

Again Xavier pushed the voice aside, a hint of worry creeping in. He hadn't heard this voice in years...decades actually. Why now? Why was it suddenly returning?

"Professah?" Rogue asked, rising from her chair and coming to kneel before him, her hand on his arm. "Are you alright?"

Snapping from his reverie, Xavier nodded slowly, taking in the concerned expressions of Rogue and Scott. "I'll be fine," he assured them, not bothering to force a smile. They would see right through it, after all. "I just was thinking, my apologies." He turned his full attention back to Scott, even as he gave Rogue's hand an absent pat of thanks for her concern. "I'll support your decision, of course, but I'd ask you to answer one question for me..."

Xavier didn't even need to ask the question, Scott saw the way his eyes flitted to Rogue briefly. "Its not for her," he said plainly, startling the telepath. "She already made sure of that," he added, smiling at Rogue.

"We know we need each othah, aftah all this," Rogue said, looking at Scott for a moment before focusing on the Professor. "But he knows Ah'd knock him back t' Bayville mahself if he was tryin' to move here just because he thought Ah needed him to."

Reassured, Xavier nodded. "Then I will speak to Moira about moving your things here. Would you want to come back and pack for yourself, or do you trust us to send what you'll need?"

"I'll give you a list of what I know I have to have...Brian already said they'd let me furnish the room myself, like they did for Rogue. So basically I'll just need pictures, my CD's, that sort of thing."

"And ya clothes," Rogue added, teasing.

"Well I thought that went without saying," Scott said dryly, but the way his mouth turned up at the corners betrayed his amusement.

From the look she shot him, Scott could all but hear her say "Not that I'd mind you walking around without clothes," and snorted in laughter, unable to help it.

Rogue's mouth quirked oddly and he realized she was fighting the urge to laugh herself, realizing he had read her look, and she ended up falling onto her butt on the floor as the laughter spilled out against her will.

Xavier looked between the two of them, having never seen a reaction like this from either of them before. He picked up on a brief thought from Scott, but it wasn't enough to clarify why they were laughing so hard.

By now, Rogue was crying she was laughing so hard, and Xavier finally recognized the reaction for what it was as he watched Scott slide out of his chair from his own laughter. Their bodies knew they still needed to release emotion from the trauma they had experienced, and rather than have them continue to burst into tears or rage, it had found another outlet...laughter. Full belly, body shaking laughter that was currently healing another tiny piece of his broken students before his eyes. It took Rogue and Scott a good few minutes to recover themselves, and as Scott helped Rogue up, she hiccuped and excused herself to the restroom, nearly running out of the door as she continued to giggle sporadically. Once she was gone, Scott settled himself back into his chair and tried to stop chuckling every few seconds.

"I'm sorry...I just...we needed that," he said, smiling.

Xavier returned the smile. "I understand." Taking a slow breath, he looked at Scott for another moment. "You are sure this isn't for her?" When he saw the anger begin to come into Scott's face, he put up a placating hand. "I had to ask one more time to be totally sure. I can see very clearly how you feel for her, Scott. Anyone can." _**She's corrupted him...**_ "The last thing I want..." **_ The last thing you want is them together...the last thing you want is for her to convince him that killing to achieve peace between mutants and humans is okay...The LAST thing you want is for her to end up pregnant with his child again...If she does, you know you'll loose him forever. _**_No... _"No..."

"Professor?" Scott gave his mentor a worried look. "Should I get someone?"

"I'll be fine, Scott," Xavier said after a moment, but resolved to speak to Moira later on. She was the only one who had known of the voice before, and he hoped she'd have an answer for him this time. "I think we should speak later, if that's okay with you?"

"Of course." Scott hesitated, then stood, putting a hand on the shoulder of his 'father.' "Are you sure I can't get someone? You seem...well I'm not even sure what you seem, to be honest. But you're not acting like yourself, I know that."

"I just need some time alone," Xavier told Scott, trying to be reassuring, but from the look Scott gave him he failed. "I will be fine," he reiterated, this time with more conviction. "If I still feel...out of sorts by dinner, I will ask Ms. Braddock or Ms. Frost for their assistance, okay?"

Nodding, Scott leaned down to hug the Professor, managing to surprise the telepath. "I'm sorry to blindside you with this," he said, pulling back to look him in the eye. "But it means a lot, you supporting me on this."

"When did you intend to tell the others?"

"At dinner, I guess. Seems like as good a time as any."

"Would you like me to...?" Xavier began, trying to focus on Scott instead of the sensation of the dark voice trying to creep back in again.

"No," Scott said, a bit of a smile curving his lips. "I can do this. Its my news to tell after all."

"Alright then." Turning his chair towards the door of Brian's office, which they had been given use of for the purpose of the conversation, Xavier sighed. "For now, I think I am going to head up to my room and rest."

"Okay, sir. I'll see you at dinner then."

Nodding, Xavier steered his chair from the room as Scott held the door open for him, heading for the elevators. He needed to get this thing under control, and soon. The last time he had heard the voice, it had nearly destroyed him, and was likely the cause of his ex-wife being so frightened of him if he was to be honest. He could not allow something like that to happen again. The only problem was...he wasn't sure he could prevent it this time.

**Muir Island, 6:30 PM, same day - **

As everyone dined on a magnificent meal of local seafood that Brian had sent Cameron over to a market for, conversation was plentiful. For the first time since the X-men had arrived on the island, the two teams were interspersed at the table, with no clear divisions. Kitty, Tabby and Jubilee were sitting across from Rogue, Emma and Betsy, talking about fashion and what the shopping was like in Europe's finest shops, while Jean and Amara conversed with Lorna and Lacey about similar things. Lucas, Scott and Brian were talking strategy and combat with an interested Logan. All along the table it was similar, which under normal circumstances would have delighted Professor Xavier. Tonight though, he was not quite himself.

It was hard to say what was wrong, exactly, but as the meal progressed, the somber mood of Xavier began to create a definite negative air in the room. It wasn't until the meal was completed and an uncomfortable silence descended on the table that Moira finally decided to say something to her old friend.

"Charles, what's got ye sae down? You've not been yourself at all t'night," she said, a confused frown on her face.

The pale blue eyes of the Professor lifted from his plate, which he had spent the past ten or fifteen minutes staring at and focused on Moira. _**How dare she ask like that. She knows exactly what's wrong...She's already stolen one student...now she's taking another...**_ "What's wrong?" he repeated slowly, annoyance clear in his tone. "You know exactly what is wrong, Moira." Before she could respond, he spoke again. "You've decided that I'm a failure, yet again, and lured another of my students to join you."

"Now just a damn minute, Charles," Moira began, her frown deepening.

"Professor," Scott said at the same time.

"Wait, someone else is leaving?" Bobby asked from his seat at the table.

Before anyone could stop him, the Professor gave a dry smile that was unsettling to those who knew him best and responded to Bobby's question. "Scott has...decided...to move here in order to receive help with his powers." There was something in his tone that made it clear he still refused to believe that was the only reason Scott was moving, or that it had been all Scott's idea at all.

"What?!" was the exclamation of many X-men along the table, as well as Scott, causing them to turn and look at him.

"Professor?! I was going to tell them! My own way, remember?!" Scott was clearly upset, and the frown on his face was severe.

"You're leaving the X-men, bro?" Alex asked, his tone one of hurt and confusion.

Scott ran a hand through his hair and rubbed at his neck. "Look, Dr. McTaggert is the one who came up with the plan on how to help me control my powers. Its been two months, and all the Professor and Dr. McCoy can do at this point is send her test results. She _knows_ she can help me. How can I _not_ move here if it means I can control my powers even half as well as any of you can thanks to the Professor's help?!"

Jean held her hands up in a placating way. "Scott, we just want to understand...you don't need to get upset..."

"I'm upset because _I _was going to tell you...I'm upset because when I talked to the Professor earlier," he paused, turning his attention to the man in question, "you made it seem like you were going to support me. Not turn around and act as though I'm doing this to hurt you! Or as if Dr. McTaggert is trying to turn me against you!"

The last statement was practically yelled, and at once Rogue was on her feet and blocking Scott's view of the Professor as best she could. "Look at me, Scott," she told him, and after a moment he tilted his head down to meet her eyes. "Look at meh, sugah..." When he took a slow breath, she gave a reassuring smile. "That's it...calm down..."

"Let him say what he feels he needs to," the Professor told her, his tone still nothing like normal.

Rogue turned for a moment and pinned the Professor with an angry look. "Unless ya want him t' end up mad enough he blasts somethin, probably you, Ah'd let meh calm him down..." Refocusing on Scott, she noticed the way he was looking at her, a mix of grateful and defeated. He had been so reliant on the Professor backing him on this, or at least understanding. For their mentor, his 'father,' to suddenly change his mind would have a serious impact on how Scott felt about moving. Lifting to tip toe, she placed her lips near his ear. "Scott, he's not actin' like himself," she reminded, barely even whispering. "Ah've already alerted Betsy telepathically, they're gonna make sure nothin's wrong with him...So jus' calm down sugah, tell th' othahs what ya meant t' say, an' we'll deal with th' rest, okay?"

Scott gave a slow nod and took a deep breath. As he let it out, he pulled back to meet her gaze, giving a brief smile of thanks. Turning back to the others, he sighed. "I'm sorry guys...for yelling. I just...I feel like I need to do this. Like I said to the Professor...I've been an X-man since before there was a real team. And as soon as there was, I was the leader...I don't even know who I am aside from that."

"But zhen who vould be zhe leader?" Kurt asked.

"I don't know," Scott admitted. "But anyone of you that's chosen can do it..."

"Dude, I just moved from Hawaii to be able to have time with you bro, what now?" Alex asked, still clearly hurt and confused.

Scott sighed heavily, focusing on his brother. "I thought about that, Alex, I swear...And I hate to do that to you, but..." Everyone could tell he was squeezing his eyes shut behind the shades from the way his face contorted. "I wish I could say that I know I'd get control if I stayed in Bayville. Fact is, I can't say that." His face 'relaxed' into a sad expression and you could tell he was focused on Alex again. "The Professor can help you...but me..."

Alex gave a heavy sound that wasn't quite a sigh. "I get that Scott. And ya know if ya have a real chance for control I'm all for that. Just majorly sucks that I can't..." He paused, looking briefly at Brian, who gave a shake of his head. "That I can't come over here. I mean my parents would freak that I went from being in New York to half way 'round the world, for one."

Relieved that his brother wouldn't continue to raise an argument about him moving, Scott glanced back at the Professor who appeared to be lost in thought. As if Scott's gaze was a cue for him to become alert again, those cold blue eyes looked up. "As it seems you are dead set on this, Scott..."

"We already talked about this sir," Scott said, trying to keep his tone level. "And you told me you would support me. I have no idea what has changed in the past few hours, but I'll remind you of one key point. This is _my _choice. I'm doing this _for me._ This isn't about anyone else..." He paused, his gaze all but boring into the older man. "This isn't about _her._"

Something in Scott's words had the Professor nodding, letting out a slow breath. "Of course." Blue eyes shut and Xavier rubbed at his temples as though he had a bit of a headache. "My apologies Scott...Obviously my nap did not agree with me at all." His glance fell to the rest of those at the table before settling on Rogue. "My apologies to you _all._"

Scott nodded at his 'father,' a look of apology on his own face. "I'm sorry too sir...for loosing my cool."

After the mutual apologies, everyone slowly began to disperse, though the X-men and Dr. McTaggert were the last to do so. Kurt and Alex hung back to talk to Scott, while Rogue went with Betsy and Emma, hoping they could figure out what was going on with the Professor.

"So you're really leaving us?" Kurt asked.

Sighing, Scott sank back into a chair. "Yeah." He leaned his head from side to side for a moment, stretching out the kinks that had formed there over the course of dinner.

Sitting down in chairs on either side of Scott, Kurt and Alex shared a brief look before focusing back on Scott. When Kurt spoke, it was instantly clear that he was asking a question both wanted an answer to. "Are you one hundred percent sure zhat zis isn't to do vith meine Schwester?"

"I won't like and say she has nothing to do with my overall decision, but its not all about her, or us. Yeah, I want to be with her...especially after everything that's happened." An exasperated sound escaped him. "But she said herself if I was doing this for her, she'd kick me back to Bayville herself...is that good enough for you?"

Kurt nodded at once, knowing his sister well enough to realize he shouldn't of bothered to ask. Of course she wouldn't let Scott move across an ocean just to be with her...well, maybe she would have had she still been pregnant, but they'd never know for sure now. "Sorry for doubting you, mein Freund," he added.

"Its okay," Scott said, a tired smile on his face. "I know everyone is gonna keep asking that, no matter how annoyed it makes me."

Alex snorted, amused. "Bro, what would you rather we ask?" The question was half in jest, half serious.

Giving a one-armed shrug, Scott smiled ruefully. "Honestly? I don't know. I still can't...it just doesn't seem real, ya know?" he began, knowing they would pick up on what he was talking about, and both of the others nodded slowly, though Kurt seemed to understand the best. Not surprising really, it would be hard to think of your sister as being pregnant when you had only found out she was at the same minute you found out she wasn't. "I just wish...I mean...hell...right now my brain is so messed up, trying to deal with that, and then everything tonight...I don't even know how I'm going to get myself to quit thinking enough to sleep. As it is, I've barely slept this week...every time I start to drift off, I wake myself to make sure she's still there..." He felt a bit silly admitting that to his own brother, who wouldn't quite get it yet, but again it was Kurt who gave a nod.

Looking a bit sheepish, Kurt smiled. "If not for zhe fact you vhere in zhere vith her, I'd probably be porting in at least once in the night to make sure she vas still zhere," he said. "But zhen, I still have problems trying to compute zhe idea of you and meine Schwester being togezher. I mean...you vhere like a big brozher to me when I joined!"

Scott gave that same rueful smile. "I can only imagine..."

Kurt gave him a serious look now. "Promise me one zhing?"

"Sure," Scott replied.

"No more...oh vhat is it...oh yeah! No more PDA vith meine Schwester in front of me!" Kurt looked seriously put out about the fact that Scott and Rogue had kissed (or otherwise) in front of him, making Scott and Alex both laugh.

"I agree dude...it's weird as hell seeing my big bro kissing a girl...he and Jean were never that affectionate when I saw them," Alex admitted.

Kurt thought on this for a moment. "You're right...I can't zhink of a single time vhen Scott and Jean actually did much PDA." He looked at Scott for a moment. "Vhy can't you be like zhat vith Rogue?"

Unable to help himself, Scott started laughing. "I don't know...there's just something different about your sister. Doesn't help that she initiates as much as I do..."

Kurt covered his ears and glared at Scott. "I don't vant to hear zhat!" he scolded and slowly lowered his hands from his ears.

Scott just smiled. "Oh, so you don't want to hear about how she..."

Even though Scott didn't finish, Kurt slapped his hands back over his ears. "Stop it!"

Alex slapped his brother on the shoulder, laughing. "Dude, when did you get a sense of humor?!"

"If you were to ask anyone, I'm sure they'd say after Apocalypse...when Rogue and I started to be friends again," Scott admitted. "I had one before, but no one wants to admit it."

"Because it vas barely zhere," Kurt told him, having lowered his hands again. "And don't you dare make anozher crack about you and meine Schwester. If you do, I'll port you to the roof and leave you zhere."

"Now, lil' brothah, that ain't nice t' do..." Rogue said from the doorway, causing all three heads to swivel to her. She looked pointedly at Scott, and he rose from his chair immediately, wondering what Emma and Betsy might have figured out. "Ya'll mind if I steal Scott away for a bit? Brian needs t' talk t' us."

The fact that Brian was involved made Scott worry, but he hit it well, turning to face his brother and Kurt. "I'll talk to you guys tomorrow, okay?"

Nodding, Alex slapped his brother on the shoulder lightly. "Sure thing bro." Glancing at Rogue, he smiled in the sheepish way he had around girls. "Later Rogue," he told her, then exited the room in search of something to do, Rogue's responding "later" catching his ears as he left.

Kurt grabbed his sister in a quick but tight hug. "If you must, meine Schwester," he teased, then looked to his friend for a moment. "Remember vhat I said," he added, and it was hard to tell if he was joking or not.

Rogue looked confused, but rather than ask her brother what he was on about, she smiled at him. "Night, Kurt," she said, pulling her brother back in for one last hug, before she and Scott turned to head to Brian's office.

Once they were out of earshot of Kurt, Scott pulled her to his side and looked down, the worry clear on his face now. "I'm guessing this is something big, if they got Brian into it."

"It is," was her only reply before she knocked on the door to the office. At Brian's call of "Come on in," the two entered the office and took a seat on the lone two seated couch. "Ya'll find anythin' more since I went t' get Scott?" she asked, looking to the four telepaths who were scattered in the office. Betsy had taken up a post behind her brother, while Emma and Tessa lounged in the chairs in front of the desk, leaving Nate to stand near the door.

"Nate?" Betsy asked, and after a moment, a telekinetic shield formed around the inside of the room, a fool proof way to stop eavesdropping. Once the shield was up, Betsy nodded. "We did..."

"So it wasn't him?" Scott asked, praying that there was a reason (other than the Professor honestly not wanting him to move) for the spectacle at dinner.

"Not really," Betsy assured him. "Something dark has a hold of his mind. Something powerful. But he's fighting it...which is why his moods are so back and forth."

"Is there anything you can do to help him?"

"Not without getting a more firm grasp on what this is, no," Tessa explained, her tone touched by a weariness Rogue had not heard from her before.

"Tess?" Rogue asked, reaching out towards the older girl.

"I'm fine," the dark haired telepath assured. "While we speak I am also running through every dark force I've heard of that might possess a telepath of power like Xavier. The list is short, thankfully, but there are some definite issues with each I have to take into consideration."

At Scott's confused look, Brian elaborated on behalf of Tessa. "While Tessa's mind is an extraordinary thing, it can...overheat, or overload, in a way, when she tries to make it do too much. But with the urgency that could be involved should your Professor loose his battle with whatever this is, she's refusing to slow down...no matter how much we tell her to do so..."

Nodding, Scott looked back at the twins. "So what do we do for the Professor now? To keep the Professor in control?"

"One of us," Emma began, motioning between herself and the other three telepaths, "will monitor him as he sleeps to ensure that repeats of this afternoon, when the force used him sleeping to try and gain some control, do not happen again. And when he is awake, the more he is around the X-men, and you two, the better."

Rogue slid her hand into Scott's, seeking and giving comfort in the simple gesture. "What about when the X-men return home?" she asked.

"Bill is going to work nearly non-stop on our version of Cerebro, and we intend to get Magneto to help him, since he helped design and build the original. Hopefully we can convince the Professor to extend the X-men's time here until it's finished. If we can, we will use that to monitor him from here."

"And if it's not completed before they leave?"

Brian sighed, sharing a look with Betsy that did not settle the nerves of the couple before him. "Then we'll have to hope for the best..."

The eyes of the twins settled back on Rogue and Scott, while Betsy finished her brother's sentence. "And prepare for the worst..."

**Muir Island, Main House, Rogue (& Scott's) room – 11pm -**

Slipping between the cool sheets of the bed, Scott sighed as Rogue turned to face him, her green eyes finding his almost immediately through his shades. The conversation with the telepaths and Brian had unsettled him, and he found himself pulling Rogue close, wanting whatever comfort she could bring. As she paused to tie one of the sheer silk scarves over her face, he smiled at her tiredly. "Sorry for waking you," he said. She had left the office before him, intending to check on the Professor then come to her room to settle in for the night. He had opted to stay, talking at length with Brian and Betsy, mostly about what was going on with the Professor. When he had entered the room, he hadn't been that surprised to find Rogue already asleep, and had tried to keep from waking her as he stripped down to his boxers and slid into bed.

"Mm...its okay..." she assured him, moving into his embrace and placing a chaste kiss on his lips. "Ah didn't mean to fall asleep, actually..." Her voice was laced with hints of sleep, slowing her drawl, and keeping her tone soft.

Sliding his hands down her arms, he sighed and placed his face against her hair. "Why is it that everything happens all at once?" he asked, unable to keep himself from sounding a bit like a sulking child in his own exhaustion.

Her hands come up to massage at his scalp in the way she knew he liked even as she answered. "Ah dunno, lovah..." she murmured, smiling when she could tell he started to relax a bit. "But why don't ya let me help ya unwind?" she asked, her voice still soft.

He raised an eyebrow. "How, exactly?"

Rolling her eyes, she gave his shoulder a gentle shove. "Not like that...not t'night anyhow," she replied. "Ya like it when Ah massage at ya scalp...was gonna work on ya back for a bit..."

The idea sounded far too good to pass up, and Scott nodded. "Okay."

Once she had him rolled onto his stomach, Rogue straddled his legs and began to rub at his shoulders and neck, finding a wealth of knots that had worked their way into his muscles. "Lawd," she whispered, her thumbs working at a particularly nasty one right at the base of his neck. "Ya are a mess, aren't ya?"

"Mm..." was all Scott could say, his mind overloaded with a mesh of pain and pleasure. The knot gave way after a few minutes of her ministrations, and he groaned, feeling a rush of pins and needles all the way down his spine and arms. "Jesus!"

"Shhh," she scolded, even as her fingers sought out the next knot, finding another on the other side of his spine, down near the shoulder blade. "Just breath, lovah," she instructed.

Doing as she asked, he began to focus on his breathing, and sighed as she smoothed her hands over his back, taking a brief break from the knot. It became so he lost track of time, so focused was he on the feel of her hands and the glorious sensations they created as one by one, the knots that had been bothering him fell prey to her work. As he slowly came back to himself, he noted a new feeling, and realized she was placing soft kisses over each place she had worked away a knot, as if to further soothe the muscles underneath his skin. "Hun..." he murmured, and had no idea how much love was tied into that single word.

But Rogue heard it, and felt her heart melt. "Hmm?" she asked, allowing her hands to move to his lower back, right above the waistband of his boxers, where she slowly worked at the lone knot down there.

"Mm...you sure about that 'not tonight' bit?"

Her hands went still, and he felt her weight shift. "Scott...Ah..." her voice was suddenly shaky, and it was as if he had been doused in icy water when he realized why.

"Shit," he muttered, mostly to himself and sat up, forcing her to move off to one side. He pulled her to him, his arms folding around her as she started to cry. "God, I'm sorry hun...I didn't even..." His eyes squeezed shut behind ruby quartz. "I should've known..." Grabbing the sheet one handed, he pulled until it came free enough for him to place it over his chest, then urged her to rest her head there as he laid back, still holding her. "Oh angel..." he murmured, and felt her start to calm as she rested her head right over his heart.

"Ah'm sorry," she whispered, voice choked with tears.

"No...don't apologize," he insisted softly. "You couldn't have done anything...and you can't help how you feel now..." He pressed a kiss to her hair and held her a bit tighter. "I didn't even think...of course you wouldn't..." A breath hissed from his lips. "I'm the one who should be sorry, hun..."

Her tears slowed, and she looked up at him. "Scott...do you...Ah mean...you keep tellin' meh not t' say sorry...don't you...how could you not hate meh?" she asked, it being a question that had bothered her since she woke in the medical facility.

Her question was like a punch to the heart, and he looked down at her , shocked. "Hate you? Didn't I just this morning tell you I love you?" he asked. When he saw it had not soothed her at all, he sighed and coaxed her to move to sit up where he could lock eyes with her better. "Rogue...angel...I could _never_ hate you. Am I upset that I...that _we_ lost something so precious? Of course...but _not _with you. I'm upset...pissed off, because someone hurt _you..._hurt _us._" He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to her lips that were still covered by the scarf. "I _love _you...more than I've loved anyone."

Her eyes cleared a bit, but he could see the insecurities that still lingered. "Ah love you too," she whispered, then bit at her lower lip. Hesitating a moment, she leaned up, kissing him slowly. "Ah'll _always_ love you..."

Smiling gently, soothingly, Scott laid back down properly in the bed, then pulled her to lay at his side. "I know," he whispered back, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Always, angel...always."

Settling her head to rest over his heart again, where she could hear the soothing sound, she sighed softly. "Ah'm so glad you're not leaving," she told him.

"Me too," was his soft reply, even as he closed his eyes behind the ruby quartz goggles he used for sleep. "Sleep, sweetheart," he added, when he felt her begin to move to say something else. "I'm not going anywhere."

Her eyes closed finally, and after a few moments, felt his breathing even out as he started to slip into sleep. Though lingering doubts and fears tried to keep her awake, it wasn't long before the steady sound beneath her ear lulled and reassured her that, for tonight anyhow, nothing would separate her from her love.

**Muir Island, Excalibur Building, Meeting Room, Next day, 10:20 AM -**

"They're nearly here," Emma informed Brian from her place at the huge oval table that dominated the meeting room of the Excalibur building.

Brian nodded, then glanced at the assembled team that was seated in their usual spots at the table. Looking to Tessa, he asked "Is everything ready?"

"Of course," Tessa replied, her tone mildly insulted. "I will hand out the files once they have arrived."

"Then get t' handin' out, Tessa," Rogue informed her as she led the adults of the X-men into the room, Scott bringing up the rear, this his first time in the building. She guided Ororo, Logan, Hank and Erik to seats just past where those where Excalibur sat then took her seat next to Lucas, while Scott took the seat on her other side.

The adults of the X-men briefly admired the room as they took their seats, but it didn't take long to focus upon Brian at the head of the table. "Well, ya got us all t'gether, bub...what's goin' on?" Logan asked, blunt as ever.

Tessa rose and handed copies of the files that Excalibur already had in front of them to the X-men, as well as Rogue and Scott. When they went to open them, Tessa interrupted. "I would wait to open those," she advised. "Let us say what we need to, the information there will be explained in a moment."

Curious now, Erik frowned. "This wouldn't have anything to do with your request to have me help with your model of Cerebro would it?" he asked.

"It would," Brian confirmed. When Hank opened his mouth to ask a question, Brian held up a hand to quiet him. "Please...let us explain the need for the meeting." At the responding nod, Brian sighed heavily. "Rogue, Scott. If you would."

Scott rose, looking at his former instructors. "I know you all noticed how odd the Professor was behaving last night when it came out that I am moving here, so I can get control. But what I didn't get a chance to tell you, was that he had acted a bit odd earlier in the day too."

Now it was Ororo who was about to interrupt, worry clear in her face, but Rogue shook her head at the weather-witch, silencing her. "It wasn't nearly so bad as what ya saw last night," Rogue said, though she stayed seated. "But he seemed worried himself," she added. "Worried enough t' say he was gonna talk to Betsy or Emma if it didn't resolve itself...which he nevah did."

Just then, Moira entered the room, an apologetic look on her face. "Sorry I'm sae late," she said, slipping into a seat reserved for her in between the X-men and Excalibur on the opposite side of the table from Rogue and Scott. "A couple o' patients needed checked upon."

"Its fine, Moira. We only really just started," Brian told her. "Would you mind telling them what you know?"

Taking the file from Tessa, though she had no need for it, she nodded. "Years ago, Charles came tae me, complainin' o' a voice he was hearin...not one from use o' his telepathy, mind ye...somethin' dark...somethin' tha' wanted tae change him." Sighing, she looked at the worried faces of the X-men. "Tis my belief that tha' voice is back..."

"And what we found after gently testing his mind last night all but confirms that theory," Betsy added, taking over now. "There is most definitely a dark presence in his mind...and while I think it realized we were testing it, it did not...retaliate, I suppose is the word I'm looking for."

"So what can we do?" Ororo asked, even as she focused on the telepaths.

"Keep an eye on him as you return home...but do not...I repeat, do _not _tell your students of this. Most especially Miss Grey," Tessa said, her tone even more serious than normal.

"Why not? Couldn't she...?" Hank began, but was cut off by Rogue.

"If ya look at the files...we think this all may have somethin' t' do with Jean...and whatever it is he's been tryin' t' help her with."

Hank frowned, then nodded slowly. "I did find it a bit odd he had not yet put a name to whatever it was troubling her..if they are both hearing the same voice...he may have recognized it in her, and become frightened of it infecting him again."

"I have compiled a list of possible entities that might be able to influence a powerful telepath like Xavier, or even Miss Grey. It is a very short list, but none of the possibilities are ones that are preferable," Tessa explained.

Looking in the file, Ororo's head shot up to look at the dark-haired telepath. "The Shadow King?"

"He has shown interest in Xavier before."

"Mr. Sinister, Apocalypse, Selene...Phoenix?" Magneto questioned. "I have only heard of the first two, and of course the Shadow King. But I wasn't aware that Sinister had anything at his disposal to do what you're saying..."

"All five are very terrible, evil powers. Any one of them alone is cause for concern, but until we know which we are dealing with..." Betsy trailed off, rubbing at her temples absently.

Knowing it was simply a headache left over from her attempts to see what was going on with Xavier the night before, Brian picked up where she left off. "Until we know for sure, the best thing is for all of us in this room to be on the look out for more odd behavior."

"Then there is nothing we can do?" Ororo asked. "Nothing to help him?"

"Again, not knowing what kind of force we're dealing with...no. Nate or myself have the raw power to drive them from his mind, but run the risk of becoming prey to whatever is doing this ourselves. We need to know exactly who or what we are dealing with so a plan of action that saves not just Xavier and Miss Grey, but everyone, can be devised," Betsy said. "As it is, I'm lucky it didn't try to infect me as well last night."

Hank seemed confused, and looked at the purple-haired woman. "We weren't aware your powers were to the same scale as the Professor's."

"I'm an omega level telepath, same as Xavier. And Miss Grey has the potential to be...very nearly is already, actually, which is part of her problem I believe. Whatever this is that has a hold on Xavier, has a foothold in her mind as well...I sensed it."

Logan grunted, annoyed. "Great...so what yer tellin' us is we have not one but _two _Omega class mutants...telepaths...who are bein' possessed? And there ain't nothin' we can do about it?"

"Unfortunately, aye, that is what we're saying," Moira said, sighing. "I dinnae like it myself...Charles is one o' my oldest and dearest friends...but it was hard enough for me tae try an' help him before. Now? With his powers as evolved as they are? Would be completely out o' my realm."

"How did you help him before?" Magneto asked, setting aside the folder of information for now.

"Tae be honest, twas mostly Charles' own doing the last time he fought this...provided it is the same thing..." she admitted. "All I did was support him, and ensure tha' when he was nae acting himself, that I reminded him o' who he was."

"Then that is what we will have to do," Hank said with some finality, glad to at least be able to more than sit there and watch an old friend loose himself.

The other adults nodded, then looked to Brian. "We appreciate ya tellin' us about this," Logan told him.

"Of course," Brian said. "Betsy and I have admired the Professor and his work since we moved here...he's a good man. And we'll do whatever we can to help you."

**A/N: **Okay, so that is all I can get out at this point. I wanted to write more, but I pushed my muse enough to get this done. So I'll give it a night off and start fresh on the weekend. :) Thanks to anyone/everyone who's added the story to alerts and favorites since last time, as well as all of the reviewers.

**Review Responses: **

**Guest: **Glad you enjoyed the story so far, even if it is a Scogue. I had a lot of people go with that option for where to go from here, so I will probably do the Rogue epic not too far into the future once I get some ideas flowing. Hope to see more reviews from ya on how I'm doing!


	19. Act II - Ch 18 - One Day You Will

_**Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Act II**_

_**Chapter 18, "One Day You Will"**_

**Author Notes: **This chapter is sort of a run-on, as opposed to having all of my usual breaks, but I've read and re-read it like ten times and think it turned out just fine. Its a bit of a filler, but with some important info all the same. Hope everyone enjoys! Oh, and a huge thanks to those who have added this story to alerts/favorites since last chapter, as well as all of my reviewers (all three of you for last chapter)!

Scott's new uniform is very tightly based off of the uniform "Snake-Eyes" wears in the G I Joe movie "Retaliation" because it was just awesome. But it is a little less...er...combat and more stealth. Plus it suits how Scott's fighting style is going to change...oh...is that too much of a heads up? O:) I have photos of nearly all of the Excalibur (main team and black ops) uniforms, and will be posting them to Deviant-art for anyone who wants to view them. I'll post my user name in the next chapter, if I have the photos up by then. Also, I figure they would have at least 3 copies of their uniforms for training purposes, then at least one maybe two for actual combat situations. That way any tears, etc as they were shown to get in the show/comics could be repaired without you missing one. Okay? Good.

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for some that is harder than others. When Rogue gets the romance she's always dreamed of, no one can foresee the changes that come with it. A new location, new friends, the possibility of control, along with obstacles unlike anything they've seen thus far, Scott and Rogue will never be the same.

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred), Excalibur (Brian, Betsy, Emma, Sean, Tessa, Lucas, Lorna, Rogue, Scott, Mystique, Neal, Nate)

**Muir Island, Excalibur Building, Gym, 3 weeks post Ch. 17, approx 2pm -**

"Again," a voice barked, and for the umpteenth time that afternoon, Rogue entered a very complex and very long series of martial arts moves, perfectly mimicking her mother's example from nearly an hour previous. Across the gym, she could hear Betsy correcting Scott on his own series of moves and fought the urge to turn and check on her lover. As her series of moves ended, Rogue looked to her mother, waiting for a final judgment.

"I think you have that down," Raven commented, her tone all business, with just a hint of pride that Rogue could pick up on. "Now..." She moved from where she had been standing, clad in her new Excalibur uniform, which was made of a special material to allow it to work with her shape-shifting. The uniform was simple and conservative when compared to her past ones, consisting of a pair of skin tight black pants and a turtle-necked tank top, completed with a pair of black leather knee-high boots, a utility belt with two gun holsters, and her normal skull shaped piece to prevent her mind being read (now worn at her throat). "Lets try something else, shall we?" Raven questioned rhetorically, knowing that until 3:30, Rogue would do whatever she asked for training. She showed Rogue a new set of mixed martial arts moves twice, then allowed Rogue to try.

Thanks to her perfect memory, the fact that she had absorbed her mother multiple times, and the fact that Rogue was a naturally graceful fighter, she picked up on the new moves immediately, and by her third time was doing them only slightly less gracefully than Raven herself. She was asked to do the moves another seven times, just to ensure she had them down flawlessly, then told she could take a couple of minutes to rest. She had been working at this since around 12:30 with no respite, so Rogue gratefully crossed to where she had left a bottle of sports drink and sat down to watch Scott's progress.

"What the hell do you call that move, Summers?" Betsy asked harshly as Scott fell on his ass after attempting to copy her moves, right down to a particularly hard spinning kick that Betsy had thrown in only to see how he would attempt it. Though in actually she was pleased he had even tried and gotten so close to managing it (however ungraceful it might have looked), she had been told by Brian to ride Scott hard, and so she would.

Grumbling to himself, Scott frowned at her through his new visor, a slightly slimmer and much lighter weight version to the one Xavier had created years ago. Rolling his shoulders as he pushed back to his feet, he answered. "An attempt at that stupid kick you showed me." Getting back into position, he gave her a serious look. "Show me again."

Hiding a smile, Betsy nodded. "Alright." She went through the series of punches and kicks again, ending with that same spinning kick that it now seemed Scott was dead set on learning. Every move she made was flawless and completely graceful, a tribute to those who had trained her since she was 7 years old, and made Scott feel almost foolish to try to be as good as her.

Giving a single nod after seeing the move again, Scott took a breath. "Okay...I think I have it," he said. This time, his moves were far more fluid, and when he attempted the kick, managed to stay on his feet afterward. It was a slightly butchered attempt, but he had managed to come close all the same, earning him a huge smile from Rogue when he took a second to glance at her. Turning his attention back to Betsy, he raised an eyebrow over the visor. "Well?"

"You're still a long way off, luv," Betsy admitted, but gave a small smile anyhow. "But that was improvement, so we'll take it. Now...do it again."

Nodding, Scott resumed his position and started going through the moves again, managing to keep the sound of the gym door opening from distracting him, or the fact that he could hear Rogue and Raven resuming their training at the other end of the gym. It wasn't really much better of an attempt than the previous, but this time, without Betsy's prompting, he fell right back into starting position to try again. It was odd to him, fighting in his new uniform after years in his very tight and very simple X-men one, but he knew that was part of the reason that Brian had rushed to get the new uniform made. The more he trained in it, the easier it became.

After repeated conversations in which Brian mentioned creating a black-ops team for Excalibur, Scott had become intrigued, as had Rogue. And while it had been only a short three weeks since Scott had joined the team, already the okay had come down to create the team Brian wanted. Who would lead it was still uncertain, but its overall make-up was pretty well decided. Scott, Rogue and Betsy became the first three on the team, with Z added to the list not much later. Tech, who was just finishing up his own training to be a member of Excalibur was a possible fifth, and as soon as Brian got clearance for her, Mystique would join them as well. Rogue's uniform was already suited for such a team, and thus remained the same, though she had been given a hooded black leather ankle-length trench coat to sometimes replace her bomber jacket, along with a special pair of sunglasses that were very similar to those Tessa wore. Scott however, had asked for advice from the Excalibur men who had experience with black ops or military fighting when designing his uniform, and the overall look would be awesome once it was completely finished, though all that remained now to be made was the new visor that would go with it.

Made of a special fabric, Scott's new uniform was all black, and hugged to his skin while still allowing him a huge range of motion. The pants had pockets around mid-thigh, and tapered down into his calf-high combat boots made of a specially treated leather that again allowed for extreme flexibility. The top half was a skin-tight black shirt that was covered in a lightweight, durable and flexible body armor. Once the new visor was complete, a wrap-around with no edging (a common trait of everything he had worn to block his powers until now) that also doubled as a computer screen like the one in Tessa's sunglasses, he would also don a full-headgear piece that finished off the sleek look he had been going for, and also making it impossible to identify him. He would later have to make small changes to his fighting as he added the weapons holsters that every team member had, but for now, he was focused on at least getting down the moves.

Again and again Scott attempted the moves Betsy had shown him, blocking out any possible distractions until he heard her tell him he could stop. As he stilled, his muscles began to ache, and he suddenly realized sweat was dripping from his frame and face. Wiping at some that was about to hit the visor, he let his gaze focus on his trainer, keeping silent as he tried to catch his breath.

"Your last few tries were quite good," Brian said, startling Scott into noticing the bigger man's presence. "Betsy says you've been making some good progress already."

"I guess so," Scott said, knowing he still had plenty of training to go.

Betsy went to pat him on the shoulder, then seemed to think better of it with the way he was sweating. "Why don't you go clean up, then you can meet Lucas for your weapons training?"

Nodding gratefully, Scott glanced over to find Rogue still doing some intense moves that were definitely a step up from what he was learning. "How is she going?" he asked, turning back to Brian and Betsy.

"Far better than expected actually. Now that Tessa is helping Rogue learn how to make the most of her perfect memory, her training is going smoother than before," Brian answered, taking a moment to look at Rogue as well. When he refocused on Scott, he was more serious than before. "Has she said anything to you? About what happened?"

Sighing, Scott moved to sit on one of the benches lining the wall. "Not really. We both sort of touch at it, but never say much directly. I think its just still too fresh...but its a bit hard to tell, because she tries so hard to conceal her emotions..." Rubbing a towel over his hair, he gave a wry smile. "Makes me wish that stupid Cajun, Gambit, was around. At least he, being an empath, would be able to tell me how she was feeling for sure."

"You've had dealings with an empath?" Betsy asked, shocked. Empaths were fairly rare as far as psychic powers went, and she had only heard of them before.

"Rogue said it was his secondary power...his primary was some sort of energy manipulation like Lucas, but he could 'charge' stuff...make it explode," Scott explained. "Rogue could explain it a lot better."

"Where is he then? Was he part of the X-men?"

"No...he used to work for Magneto, but he had a bit of a thing with Rogue...when she left, they were good friends. Though anyone could tell you he wanted to date her. He's supposed to be in New Orleans last I heard, fixing some sort of family thing."

"Hmm," Betsy murmured, glancing at Brian. "I might have to look into him...What was his name?"

"Remy LeBeau, codename Gambit," Scott answered, wondering why they'd have such a interest in the Cajun. "Mind me asking...?"

Betsy picked up on the question and smiled. "I asked Rogue about his powers," she said, and there was no need for her to explain it had been telepathically. "Someone like him would be a powerful ally...or a powerful enemy. We try to keep tabs on mutants like that who aren't on a team, so that if we end up having to fight them at least we know what we're up against. And it helps us discern possible motives behind attacks, that sort of thing."

Nodding, Scott pushed back to his feet. "Makes sense...well...I guess I had best go clean up, like you said."

Giving a dry smile, Brian nodded. "Yeah...we'll see you later."

Scott paused for only a minute to watch as Rogue attempted a new series of moves that included kicks, punches, flips, spins and a particular move he vaguely recognized as being a combo of her 'wall climb' from their racquetball games and a roundhouse kick. But as she tried to end the climb/kick, for the first time Scott had noticed all day, Rogue fell flat on her back. When she didn't get up right away, he started to move towards her, worried. Her sudden laughter made him smile, and when she sat up to smirk at her mother who was correcting her technique he knew she was fine. As if sensing his eyes upon her, she turned to smile at him and with her mother's permission, got up to speak with him briefly.

"You were doin' good, sugah," she told him as soon as she was close enough, and despite his undoubtedly smelly, and definitely sweaty state, she pushed up on tip-toe to kiss his cheek.

"Not as good as you," was his reply, a small smile on his lips.

"Ah've been trained in stuff like this since before Ah joined th' X-men, remember? Plus I've already been training some with my momma since Ah got heah," she added, then glanced back as her mother called to her. "Ah'd best get back t' work...but Ah'll see ya at dinnah..."

"Yeah, you will," he said, leaning down to kiss her quickly and chastely. At her nod, he left the gym, while she returned for her last 45 minutes or so of training with Mystique. A quick shower and a change into his secondary training uniform later, Scott headed out from the men's locker rooms. It was a short walk to the weapons lock-up, where he was to meet Lucas. Pushing open the door, he nodded at the man who was without doubt the foremost expert on firearms in all of Excalibur.

"Perfect timing," Lucas informed him, turning to fully face the younger man. "Now...Brian has added some larger firearms to the list of things for you to learn since the Black Ops is fully approved, but we're going to keep working with those plasma guns we started on last week," he added, pulling two plasma-based handguns from a rack full of them. The plasma guns were standard issue to all Excalibur members for use in situations where their powers were either non-functional, not effective, or in those rare cases when they might be asked to take down a hostile human, since they could range in damage from a stun, to concussive, to deadly. Handing one of the guns to Scott, he raised an eyebrow. After a little over a week of training, Lucas expected him to know how the sessions went, and was not disappointed when Scott took a seat and began to check it over to ensure it was in perfect firing condition.

After all of the usual checks that Lucas had him do, Scott headed into the special firing range to begin working his aim and overall technique. Not ten minutes later, an easy silence had fallen, other than the occasional correction from Lucas, letting Scott focus entirely on what he was doing. That was the one thing Scott found most relaxing about the weapons training actually; Lucas was a man of few words, and had actually wanted to become a cop in LA before joining up with Excalibur. If Lucas was talking, anyone on the team knew you should listen, because he wouldn't bother if it wasn't important; to be honest, Scott doubted the man knew how to make small talk. Rogue guessed it stemmed from the fact that Lucas had been raised by a military family after being orphaned, since what little had been said on the subject of his adopted family was mostly of his US Marine Corp. father, whom Lucas was exceedingly proud of.

Only about half an hour into the lesson, Lucas called halt and had Scott clean up and prepare the gun to be put back on the rack. Once that was done, he began to show Scott the other weapons he'd be learning, including the selection of blades that Betsy and Brian would start on the following week. Depending on what he ended up preferring as back-ups to his optic blasts (or even as a way to bypass having to use his powers all together), sheaths and holsters could be made to create the best access to anything he would carry at all times. As the clock struck 5:00, the two men exited the weapons lock-up and headed to the locker room to change. By 5:30, they were making their way through the main house and to the kitchen to see who had cooked that night.

It turned out to be Moira and Cameron in the kitchen, meaning it would be a traditional meal for the area that evening, something Scott was still not used to. A hand on his back had Scott turning, smiling broadly when he saw Rogue there. She greeted Lucas, who nodded at her with a hint of a smile.

"How did ya othah session go?" she asked, even as she moved to stand close to Scott's side and let him put his arm around her loosely.

"Good, I think," Scott answered, ignoring the way he itched to pull her closer.

"He is steadily improving, much as you are," Lucas added, his dark eyes cutting to the couple from where he had been focused on the two in the kitchen. "Well, I am going to go speak to Brian for a minute," he informed them, turning to walk to where they knew Brian's office was.

After telling Lucas they would see him in a bit, Rogue and Scott turned back to each other, and immediately she was in his arms for a full hug, her head tucked to avoid any skin contact. As he held on to her, enjoying the warmth of her, Scott couldn't help but wish there was something he could do for her. Ever since their incident with her new intimacy issues after she had given him a massage, Scott had felt like he was treading in a mine field. One that he created at that. The way he saw it, and of course it was his usual guilt-complex rearing its head, was that had he not coaxed Rogue into letting him show her how he felt in Bayville instead of saying it, she would not have ended up pregnant, and therefore there wouldn't have been a child to loose. And if not for the fact she was scared of getting pregnant again, Scott was fairly certain she wouldn't reject or flinch from any touch or kiss he initiated that had even a bit of heat to it.

It had taken a lot to get her to even consider asking someone to help her, and even then she had insisted on giving herself until a full two months after the Gala before she would do so...which of course meant that she had another two weeks. Until then, Scott knew he would have to continue as he had been, keeping with chaste kisses, hugs and holding her as she slept. Loosening his hold, Scott looked down at her, a hint of a smile curving his lips. "Everything okay sweetheart?"

"Yeah," she murmured, smoothing her hands over his shoulders and not meeting his eyes straight away. When she did, she looked absolutely exhausted, and he frowned as a result.

Before she could say anything else, Scott interrupted her. "I thought you said you were sleeping better, Rogue." His tone was not accusing, as it could have been, but worried.

"Ah..." Sighing, she dropped her eyes from his. "Ah'm sorry...Ah just didn't want you to keep worrying about me. Ah honestly did sleep better for a couple nights, when we first started training again, but...now..."

"Please..._please_ promise me you'll speak to Moira about it after dinner," he begged, forcing her chin up so she would look him in the eyes again.

Nodding slowly, she laid her head against his shoulder. "Ah will...Ah promise..."

Placing a kiss on her hair, he sighed and hugged her tightly again. "Thank you..." Hearing Moira begin to shuffle things onto the cart that was sometimes used to take food into the dining room, he pulled away a bit to glance into the kitchen. Sure enough, Moira and Cameron were loading what looked like a proper Shepherd's pie (likely made with lamb, he know), a heaping basket of soda bread, and some other dishes he couldn't get a good look at onto the cart. "Well, I guess we should head into the..."

This time it was Rogue who cut him off, giving him a quick kiss through one of the silk scarves she now seemed to always have on her. When she lowered back from being on tip toe, she smiled at him almost shyly and was about to turn to head to the dining room when Scott pulled her back, looking at her with a soft smile.

"What was that for?"

"For being you..." was the only response she gave before pulling away and grabbing his hand to lead him into the dining room. As they took their seats side by side at the table, she glanced at him briefly, her smile a little wider than before, a little brighter. Mouthing a quick "Love you," she turned her attention to Brian who had just asked her a question. Even as she answered, she could feel Scott take her hand under the table and give it a squeeze, his own silent "love you" since she was otherwise engaged in conversation. For the remainder of the meal, he kept her hand in his, managing to eat left handed, and Rogue let herself enjoy the simple contact.

When the meal ended, Rogue didn't even have to look at Scott to know he was all but staring at her, waiting for her to say something to Moira. Fighting back the urge to gently smack his shoulder for being so pushy, since she knew he was just worried, she turned to the Doctor. "Hey Doc?" she asked, and when Moira turned to face her, continued. "Can Ah talk t' ya for a minute?"

"Aye, o' course!" Moira replied immediately. "Does it need tae be private or nae?"

Glancing around, Rogue noted that the dining room was pretty well empty anyhow, other than Tessa and Brian who were conversing at the door. "Ah guess here is fine," she said, but moved down the table to sit closer to the doctor, with Scott not far behind.

Once the couple was closer, Moira focused entirely on Rogue. "What's got ye troubled lass?"

Sighing, Rogue noted Scott looking at her expectantly. "Ah...Ah'm not sleepin' that well lately...not the past week or so anyhow..."

"Nightmares?" Moira asked, knowing they had been a source of troubles for the girl in the past.

At her nod, Scott frowned. She hadn't said anything about nightmares to him.

"Only a couple, but...its nearly impossible for meh t' go back t' sleep aftah. But then on th' othah nights, Ah just can't stay asleep. When Ah started trainin again last week Ah slept fahne for a couple nights, then..."

"Then ye started havin' problems again?" Moira asked, and when Rogue said 'yes,' she nodded slowly, thinking. Looking up, she got the attention of Tessa, who came over immediately.

"Yes?" the dark haired telepath asked, looking between Rogue and Moira.

"Can ye do a full body scan o' Rogue?" Moira requested, even as she encouraged Rogue to stand. "Th' lass is havin' trouble sleepin, and I'd like tae rule out certain things before givin' her anythin' tae help."

"Of course," Tessa replied, flipping her ever-present sunglasses into place over her eyes, even as she placed her hands on either side of Rogue's head. It took a few minutes, but as soon as the bio-scan was completed, she pulled away to face the doctor. "Everything is as it should be physically, other than the obvious exhaustion and strain from her training. Would you like me to get Betsy?" she asked, knowing that the other telepath would be best for anything with Rogue's mind.

"Nae yet," Moira said, giving Tessa a quick smile. "Thank you. If ye would let me talk tae th' lass alone for a minute?" she asked, looking now at Scott as well.

"I'll be in the hall if you need me," Scott told Rogue as he stood, pressing a kiss to her hair. He exited the room with Tessa, who did not bother to verbally respond, leaving Rogue to speak to Moira alone.

Rogue opened her mouth to ask why Moira wanted to speak to her, but found herself pinned with a serious look. "Lass, I am going tae ask ye a couple o' questions...and I'd appreciate it if ye are completely honest with me. I cannae do anything for ye if ye lie tae me."

Giving a slow nod, Rogue sighed. "Of course."

"Ye already know why ye aren't sleepin, don't you?"

Another slow nod. "Yes."

"Ye keep seeing it again in dreams, even if ye aren't admitting it, aye?"

"Yes. But its not always nightmares," Rogue admitted. "Ah think th' dreams are worse...knowin' they'll nevah come true..."

A sad smile played upon Moira's face. "Tis likely true," she confirmed. "But ye will have other chances at bein' a mother, lass...when ye both are ready this time."

"Only because Ah accidentally absorbed Logan," Rogue said softly, having no doubt that the trauma which had caused her to loose the baby would have robbed her of the chance to ever be a mother, if not for her mentor's powers.

"Aye. That is true," Moira said, even as she reached out to touch Rogue's shoulder. "There's more ye're struggling with as a result o' this, isn't there?"

"Yeah..."

Moira gave her an expectant look, even as she waved Brian back out of the room when he began to enter, a concerned look on his face.

"Ah...Scott an' Ah..." Struggling to find the words, Rogue sighed heavily and decided to just be blunt. "Ah can't even let him kiss me properly anymore...much less anything else."

"Is he pressuring you?" Moira asked, though she doubted that was the case.

The question was met with a shocked look from Rogue, and she immediately shook her head. "No...Lawd no!" A shy look settled onto her face. "He's been fine...well...evah since Ah had this little break down anyway.. But he'd nevah pressure me inta somethin."

"I doubted he would," Moira admitted. "But tis a question I had tae ask. When did ye have a breakdown by the way, lass?"

"When th' X-men were still heah," Rogue told her. "Was the night Scott announced he was movin heah...Ah could see how stressed he was, an' wanted t' do somethin' for him. So Ah gave him a massage...an' he uh...he..."

"Enjoyed it?" Moira supplied, that the only word she could come up with quickly.

"Yeah...an' he...he asked me if Ah was willin...but Ah nearly freaked out, an' ended up a sobbin' mess..."

"Oh Lass...tis normal!" Moira assured her, even as she moved closer so she could give the girl a quick hug. "A trauma like ye've had...tis sometimes similar in its emotional impact tae rape. Either ye end up tryin' tae fix things too fast and make it worse, or ye can spend months...years in some cases avoidin' anythin' that reminds ye o' what ye experienced."

Something in Moira's tone had Rogue taking a hard look at the doctor, and she couldn't stop the question that came from her lips. "How do you know?"

There was a moment's hesitation, then Moira met Rogue's gaze dead on. "Because my ex-husband raped me and beat me," she answered honestly. (1) "For years I avoided anythin' romantic after I left him..."

Rogue stared hard as the words hit her and began to register in her mind. "Ya...Ah'm sorry."

A wry smile formed on the Doctor's lips. "Tis nae as if ye had any part in any o' it lass," Moira reminded her.

Looking shy again, Rogue gave a hint of a nod. "Still..."

"Was ages ago now," Moira mused. "Nearly 19 years..."

"How long did it take before ya could...ya know...let people close again?" Rogue asked, feeling a bit more comfortable now with the topic since she knew Moira knew how she felt.

"Seven years, give or take," Moira admitted, a sad look on her face. "Though I'm not sure how much o' that was on me, and how much was from lack o' opportunity," she added, slightly amused.

Surprised, Rogue blushed. "No offense, but Ah hope it doesn't take meh seven years...Ah dunno if Scott, even as much a gentleman as he is could wait that long for meh t'...well...for meh t' be bettah."

"There's nothing wrong with ye, lass," Moira insisted. "But ye have tae talk tae him. If ya don't, he can't help ye." Placing a hand on the girl's shoulder, she gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't forget ye have the rest o' us as well, and your family in Bayville. Any o' us would be happy tae do whatever it takes..."

"Yes, we would," a new voice spoke from the door, and both of those at the table could identify it easily as Raven. The shape-shifter slowly moved into the room, a cautious look on her face, unsure of how Rogue might react to her bit of eavesdropping. "Summers told me you were in here...and that perhaps you'd like to talk to me as well...?"

Rogue nodded after considering the merits of including Raven, and waited for her mother to take a seat as well before explaining why she had been talking to Moira in the first place. When she had finished, she wasn't really that surprised to be pulled into a tight hug by her mother. Returning it, she let a breath escape her. Things with Raven would never be easy, but she was starting to understand that despite everything she had been put through at her mother's hands, despite every scrap of evidence to the contrary at times, her adopted mother would always love her...had always loved her. "Remind meh t' thank him," she murmured.

For the next hour or so, the three women talked about love, loss and the pain of both. It was easily the longest and most real conversation Rogue had engaged in with women older than herself, a fact that did not escape her. Horrible though it was, from the moment she had found out she was pregnant, another bit of the innocence that marked her as a child had fallen away, and again nearly every day since. Now, between her own experiences and those she had seen thanks to her powers, it was very incorrect to call her a child, something that Raven brought up on passing during the conversation. When they finally wrapped up their conversation, both Moira and Mystique hugged her tightly and made her promise to seek them out should she need to talk again. Leaving the dining room, Rogue found herself feeling a bit better, if only because she had been repeatedly reassured that every last thing she was feeling, and even her trouble sleeping was completely normal.

As she glanced about the hallway, finding no trace of Scott, she remembered the urgings of both Moira and even from her mother to speak to him. While Raven did not care for Scott at all, she recognized the fact that Rogue loved him and needed him, which was enough for the shape-shifter...for now anyway. Deciding to check the living rooms first (there were two, to prevent fights over what to watch), Rogue entered the first one, and spotted most of the girls lounging on the massive U-shaped sectional watching some fashion program, including Rahne and Theresa (Sean's daughter), who sometimes came over from the students' wing. She didn't stay long enough at the doorway for anyone to speak to her, and instead moved on to the next doorway. Inside, she found the twins speaking to Scott while a news program played on the TV. Per usual, it was as if Scott had a radar that let him know she was around, because even before Betsy's eyes turned in her direction, Scott was looking at her with a small smile.

Pushing up from the sofa, he maneuvered around it and pulled her into a hug as she came a few steps into the room. "Hey..." he whispered, then pulled back to look at her. He didn't ask her how things went, or what she had managed to talk to them about. As far as he was concerned, the fact that some of the tension had left her posture was enough, and if she wanted him to know more than that, she would tell him.

"Hey," she whispered back, glancing towards Brian and Betsy.

"We were just talking about the progress on our Cerebro unit," Brian explained, knowing that Rogue was likely wondering.

"Oh...So Bill finally finished up th' fixin' that othah machine?" she asked.

Not but two days after the incident where the Professor had been not himself, a major machine that helped Moira keep specific patients in a medically induced coma had malfunctioned and needed repairs straight away, pulling Tech away from helping get the Excalibur Cerebro unit up and running. Magneto had continued to work on the Cerebro unit up until the X-men had departed, but it had still been weeks from being completed thanks to a wiring issue that had occurred. They still hadn't figured out how the issue had occurred though, since it was impossible for Tech to make such an error, meaning someone had likely tampered with the unit. So, Tech and Tessa had gone through the unit with a fine-toothed comb to ensure there was not any further tampering. Thankfully, no more was found, but it had further lengthened the time until the Cerebro would be functional. Now, other than mealtimes, and for a while after dinner when everyone normally relaxed together, Tessa and Tech would be in the Excalibur building attempting to get it up and running.

"Finally," Brian said with a nod.

"Was just in time too...Nate and Emma were beginning to struggle to keep the patients sedated telepathically," Betsy admitted. Had it not been for the need to have her helping train Scott and Rogue, she would have been helping the other two telepaths in the duty.

"Really?" Rogue asked, curious. Nate's power, though currently subdued, was nigh limitless, and the idea of him struggling with something was not easy for Rogue to comprehend.

"You forget, he hasn't trained as much as us ladies," Betsy reminded. "He's only been here about 6 months, and before that anything he did with his powers was instinctual. I really need to find time to work with him again, actually."

Brian patted his sister on the shoulder, smiling. "You can't do everything, hun. I've told you...let Emma handle it for now. He responds well to her methods of training, and once she has him to the same level as her, you can take over."

Sighing, the purple haired telepath nodded. "Of course. It's hard to remember there are so many more here now who can do things."

Glancing at Rogue, who seemed to know what he was thinking if her quick nod was any indication, he looked back to the twins. "We can help too, if you want. With Rahne or the other students."

When she saw Brian seemed interested, Rogue gave a hint of a smile. "We were helpin' Xavier with th' New Mutants back at the mansion, so its not like we're totally green on teachin'."

"We might take you up on that," Brian said, smiling. "But I know Scott said he wanted to go try and call the X-men, so we'll talk about it tomorrow before your training, okay?"

Both Scott and Rogue nodded, and at Brian's suggestion, headed to his office to use the phone there. Upon entering the office, Scott picked up the phone and began to dial the Institute while Rogue took a seat in one of the chairs there. Scott had an eager look on his face, hoping to get to catch his brother directly after getting home from school, but as the phone continued to ring, the look fell. When the answering machine did not pick up after twelve rings, Scott pulled the phone form his ear and frowned at it.

"They should be home by now...it's what, 4 o'clock there?"

Glancing at the clock, Rogue nodded, not having realized it was already almost 10pm. "Almost, yeah. An' we always were home by now...or most of us anyhow."

Trying the phone again, Scott got the same result and sighed as he placed it back into its rest. "You think this has anything to do with the Professor?" he asked, taking the seat next to her, intending to try calling again in a few minutes.

"Maybe," she admitted. "But Ah'd think that Ororo, Logan or Doctah McCoy would answah if they saw us callin...Hell, even Erik would."

"Erik?" Scott repeated, then it clicked. "Oh yeah, Magneto. I'm still not used to his first name."

"Ah think Moira has th' direct numbah for the med lab, if ya wanna try callin' down there."

"We'll try a couple more times, and if we can't get anyone on the main line after that, we'll get the number from her," he said, stretching out his legs. Deciding to change the topic before he worried himself too much over the fact no one was answering the phone at the mansion, he looked at her. "I think Betsy was trying to kill me earlier...some of those moves...I'm going to be feeling them for weeks..."

"Ya need t' make sure ya stretch, sugah. An' Ah'll show ya some things ya can do t' improve ya flexibility a bit...this isn't brute fightin' like what Logan or even Doctah McCoy does. Its more like dancin'." She gave him a teasing smile. "An' from what little Ah've seen, ya ain't so hot at that eithah..."

"As I recall, you had to absorb Kitty to 'borrow' her moves for that Dracula thing you two did," he shot back, a smirk on his lips.

"Ah didn't _have _to...Ah chose to. Her moves worked bettah for what Ah knew they'd want...mine...well...they'd be a bit much for a High School play," she said, the teasing smile still on her face.

Scott's imagination went into overdrive at the way she worded it, and his eyebrows shot nearly into his hairline. "Care to explain?"

A blush stained her cheeks, clearly visible since she had given up her white face paint after Emma and Betsy both told her she looked much better without it when she arrived on the island. "Maybe anothah time," she told him, then glanced at the phone. "Wanna try callin' again?"

Sensing that she didn't want to go into it at the moment, he dropped the topic and picked up the phone, hitting the 'redial' button. This time, after only three rings the phone picked up, and a familiar female voice came across the line.

"Well now, this is a surprise!" Ororo's voice said, making it clear she had seen the familiar number on the caller ID. "We were wondering when you'd call again."

"We tried calling a few minutes ago, but got no answer," Scott told her, even as he put the phone on speaker now so Rogue could hear. "And hi Ororo!" he teased.

The weather goddess' laughter echoed across the line. "Hello to both of you, of course. I did not hear the phone ringing, but I only just came in from the gardens," she told them. "I am surprised that one of the students did not answer...unless they are all in the library doing their homework."

"Maybe," Scott replied. "How are things going?" His question was purposefully vague, but he knew Ororo would understand anyhow.

"A bit difficult" she said, her voice quieter when she said that, then became louder again as she continued. "But we are managing. A few of the students are struggling to catch up with school after our extended stay there, and of course there is much to do for us adults..."

"Yeah. Ah c'n imagine," Rogue said. "An' hi from me as well," she added.

"How are you, child?" Ororo asked as soon as Rogue finished speaking, and her former students could hear the smile in her voice.

"Ah...Ah'm okay," Rogue said slowly. Glancing at Scott, she sighed when he gave her a serious look. "Ah'm not sleepin' so well, but Ah talked t' Doctah McTaggert and Mystique t'night...about that an' some othah things..."

"I'm glad," the weather witch said. "And you, Scott?"

"Sore...I started my training last week, and its not easy. Not that I expected it to be. But it makes it very clear how different this is from the X-men, how much you go through to become a full member."

There was a pause, then when Ororo spoke again, her tone was more serious. "Other than your training, how are you?"

Giving a wry smile, he answered. "I should have known you'd not let me get away with how I answered." He hesitated. "I'm...dealing, I guess." He glanced at Rogue again. "We just haven't really talked about it much yet..."

"Sam! Roberto!" Ororo's voice rang out, and it was clear she had set the phone away from her mouth as she called to the two boys. There was a brief sound of the two boys apologizing for whatever they had done, followed by the sound of Ororo speaking to someone else. "I believe I have two young men here who would like to speak to the pair of you," she said when she came back on the line. "So I will let them have the phone, and speak to you later. It was good to hear from you both."

"Was good to talk to you, Ororo," Scott said, his eager look from before back since he was quite sure that his brother was one of the ones who wanted to speak to them.

"Talk to you latah, Miss Munroe."

"Meine Schwester!"

"Bro!"

As their respective siblings' voices came across the phone line, both Rogue and Scott felt a rush of relief, glad that things were still okay at the mansion. Though it was already late, and they had training the next morning after breakfast, the two spent the next hour and a half on the phone with Alex and Kurt. They talked about school, training, and all of the latest pranks the Brotherhood and Bobby had engaged in. It took quite a few minutes for Rogue to quit laughing when they were told that a prank from Pietro had backfired, and instead of affecting its intended target (Evan), had instead gotten Logan. Needless to say, the speedster was on clean-up duty for the foreseeable future as a result. Finally, the two boys were called away for dinner, but refused to get off the line until Rogue and Scott promised to call again on the weekend, where more people could speak to them, namely Kitty and Jean.

Switching off the phone, Scott glanced at Rogue and was unsurprised to see her already beginning to the signs of fatigue showing again. While on the phone with her brother and his, she had been animated and wide awake, but now...

"Lets get you to bed, sweetheart," Scott told her, even as he picked her up out of the chair, intending to carry her to their room.

"Scott...Ah c'n walk," she protested weakly, even as her arms went around his neck.

"You're practically dead on your feet," was his response as he managed to open the door and head towards the elevators.

"Fahne.." she murmured, letting her eyes close as they waited for the elevator. "But ya ain't doin' this often...ya said yaself ya were hurtin' from our training..."

Scott hid a smile at how thick her accent was in her tired state, stepping onto the elevator as the doors opened. "Whatever you say, love."

"Don't patronize meh, Summahs," she grumbled.

"Then I guess I had better not say 'yes, dear', hmm?"

Her eyes, which had fluttered closed, opened a crack to look at him. "Ya aimin' t' piss meh off?"

He just smiled at her, exiting the elevator and heading down the hall to their room. Even at the door, he managed to open it without putting her down, and it wasn't until he reached their bed that he finally did so. "There...seat to seat service," he teased, even as he squatted down to help her take off her shoes. His muscles protested the movement, but he could see she was having increasing amounts of trouble keeping her eyes open. She opened her mouth to say something, but when he shot her a look, she settled for taking off her own shirt, then helping him with his.

"Ya know th' only reason Ah'm not givin' ya hell for this is b'cause Ah'm tired, raght?" she asked, watching him slip off her socks before he stood to take off his jeans. Rather than stand, she arched her hips off of the bed to slide off her own jeans, letting them pool at her feet. As soon as his were off, he knelt back down and helped her finish taking them off.

When she opted to slip on his discarded white t-shirt instead of her usual tank top, he just smirked at her. "Good thing I didn't plan on wearing that in the morning before training, hmm?" he asked, changing out his sunglasses for his goggles.

"Mm," she agreed, even as she scooted back on the bed to slide under the covers. Laying down and settling her head on one of the pillows, she watched him scoop up their discarded clothes to dump them into her wicker laundry basket. With that simple chore done, he too slid into bed, and pulled her close as he had every night since coming to the island.

"Promise me something, Rogue?" he asked her softly, catching her eyes as they started to close.

Green eyes opened as fully as she could manage, she looked at him curiously. "Hmm? O' course, sugah," she whispered.

"If you have more nightmares...wake me. I want to help you," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Let me help you...please."

His tone was so full of love that she couldn't stop the single tear that slid down her cheek, any more than she could deny him something so simple. "Alrahgt," she murmured. "Ah promise..."

Satisfied with her promise, he pressed another kiss to her hair. When she slid closer to lay her head on his heart again, he gave a soft smile. "Sleep, my love," he coaxed, and wrapped his arms tight around her. "Sleep..."

His own words were like a lullaby to them both, and within moments, the bedroom was filled with the sound of silence, broken only by the soft breathing of two who for the first time in weeks slept peacefully, and without dreams of any kind. When a gentle telepathic presence touched at their minds, a few rooms away, a purple haired telepath smiled, allowing herself to settle in to sleep as well. Neither Rogue nor Scott would ever know of her gentle persuasion that allowed them to sleep without dreaming of their recent loss for weeks afterward, but Betsy knew without doubt, it would be the first step in allow them to heal. And that, she had been told, was the key. Rogue and Scott would not have an easy path, but so long as they were together, it would be conquered.

**A/N:** A semi-short chapter by my normal standards, but making up for it with it being a quick update. Next chapter will be out early next week, hopefully, if I can get in some good writing time over the weekend. I plan on going back into the other chapters and fixing some typos I noticed while re-reading, then I"ll be starting up Chapter 19! So until next time, my wonderful readers!

**(1) - **According to Wikipedia, Moira married a man by the name of Joseph MacTaggart (and yes, I plan on fixing her name through the story) after calling off her engagement to Professor Xavier. Not long into the marriage, Joseph proved to be violent, and at one point, he raped her (getting her pregnant with their son who would turn out to be a mutant) and beat her badly enough to put her into a week-long coma. Hence her comments to Rogue, and her knowledge.


	20. Act II - Ch 19 - Given Half a Chance

_ **Best of You**_

_**By: RogueBHS**_

_**Act II**_

_**Chapter 19 , "Given Half a Chance..."**_

**Author Notes: **After a comment by one of my favorite reviewers, PermanentGuest, concerning the awesomeness that is Scott Summers/Cyclops, I decided to do some extra research on him via Wikipedia. And there, I learned things that I wasn't aware of with my favorite male X-man. He honestly has incredible potential, which apparently has only been shown in small doses through the comics, and now that I know what Marvel has made him capable of (even if its not used on a constant basis), I intend to run with it. So this chapter is going to be a lot of focus on Scott, and how recent events are spurring him on this new journey with Excalibur.

Also, I'm sorry for the huge delay in posting. My husband came down with tonsillitis and an ear infection at the same time, and I quit writing while he was sick. He's better now, so hopefully I can re-establish a schedule for my writing!

**Disclaimer: **I do not now nor will I ever own the X-men in any way, shape or form. They belong to Marvel...Naturally. Z belongs to my friend...not me!

**Foreign Languages: **In my story, Rogue is fluent in French, as is Remy. Of course, Kurt speaks German, and Piotr speaks Russian. Therefore I will use bits of those languages in my story. All translations are provided via the amazing Google translator. Words frequently used like "ma Chere," etc. will only be translated once per chapter.

**Notice: **Due to rules, I don't dare post song lyrics in my stories here any longer. There will be names of songs included, and if you're interested in lyrics, Google "A-Z Lyrics." Its a great site I've used for years with no issues. Look for song information in Parenthesis as you read.

**Full Summary: **After the ordeal with Apocalypse, the X-men, Acolytes and Brotherhood try to find some sense of normal, but for some that is harder than others. When Rogue gets the romance she's always dreamed of, no one can foresee the changes that come with it. A new location, new friends, the possibility of control, along with obstacles unlike anything they've seen thus far, Scott and Rogue will never be the same.

**Main Characters: **The X-men (Jean, Kurt, Kitty, Storm, Wolverine, and Prof. X.), Acolytes (Colossus, Pyro, Magneto), Brotherhood (Todd, Pietro, Lance, Wanda, Fred), Excalibur (Brian, Betsy, Emma, Sean, Tessa, Lucas, Lorna, Rogue, Scott, Mystique, Neal, Nate)

**Muir Island, Medical Facility, Therapy Room 3, 2 days after end of Ch 18, around 3pm -**

The therapy room was completely silent, as its occupants waited for Sage to finish her scan of Cyclops. It had taken three and a half weeks after his arrival to finally get him in for proper scans of his powers and his overall potential, but with all of the goings on with trying to get their own Cerebro up and running, Scott didn't mind too much. He had known when he moved here that the team and Doctor McTaggert would do everything they could for him, but that it might take time. Now, he was in a therapy room with Emma, Moira and Tessa, while Rogue had a session with Betsy next door.

Tessa's scan took about 10 minutes, as she used her powers to their fullest, learning everything she could about his powers, the state of his mental shielding, his overall physical health, and even learned about his academic potential after she got him to lower his shields. The information she collected would be a baseline upon which further tests were decided upon, and also affect his training. When she was done, she lowered her hands from Scott's head and resumed her seat next to Emma while she processed the information. Scott too sat down, and let his gaze focus on Moira while Sage did her computer thing.

"So, a scan like that is how you guys figured out about Rogue having a perfect memory?" he asked.

"Aye," Moira confirmed, smiling. "The lass has a good deal o' potential, mentally speaking."

"That's putting it mildly, Moira," Emma scolded, tossing a lock of her blonde hair over her shoulder. "Her mind is very nearly as complicated as Tessa's!"

"Nearly," Sage reminded with a hint of a smile as she finally removed her sunglasses. "Scott here isn't exactly simple, either," she added, earning the focus of the other three.

"Darling, men worth knowing never are," Emma teased.

Sage simply shot her fellow telepath a dry look, then continued as if uninterrupted. "As far as mental prowess goes, he has an uncanny understanding of geometry and trigonometry. He is a quick learner, and as Betsy and Lucas have observed, has incredible potential as a combatant. His ability as a strategist is good, but is currently at its best when he doesn't have time to over think. With training, even master strategists like Magneto would find him to be a worthy opponent. Physically speaking, he is in near peak condition, which when combined with his mental prowess is why he has done so well in his sessions with Betsy. As far as mental shielding goes, his time with Xavier has served him well; his shields are above average, which I think may actually be tied to his powers as well."

After a pause, in which she took a sip of water, Tessa slid her sunglasses back on, and seemed to be reviewing her findings as she spoke. "His powers are quite interesting, and are likely one of a kind, no matter how similar those of his brother may be. He has one secondary mutation which greatly affects his primary. Aside from the optic blasts, which are of course an energy beam, in order to protect himself from his own powers, he has some mild psionic ability, which has manifested in the form of a shield that covers his entire body. That is how his eyelids are able to keep his powers at bay when he closes his eyes. There is something else, but it doesn't seem to be a power so much as an ingrained ability that comes with his knowledge of geometry and trigonometry." She paused for a moment, then her head turned in Scott's direction, though she likely could not see him due to the special sunglasses that allowed her to access and interface with computers and data networks. "Have you ever noticed exactly how aware you are of where things are in relation to you?"

"Not really," Scott replied, finding it an odd question.

"I didn't think so," Tessa said, and when Scott went to interrupt, raised her hand. "Its something I noticed while scanning your mind. Though you don't mean to, your mind sees the physical world around you as a huge collection of angles. It is quite interesting, and something I would like to do more tests with, once we have addressed the issue of your powers. Provided you are agreeable, of course."

Though he was still confused, Scott nodded. "Sure. If you think it's something that would help down the line."

"It could be," Tessa said vaguely. "With what knowledge I've gained today, I think Brian can put together a program that will challenge you, and help you make the most of your intelligence and physical prowess."

Scott gave a small grin, honestly pleased with the prospect of being able to train his mind as well as the body. "I can't wait."

Having been sharing thoughts telepathically with Tessa since she began to review the information, Emma looked at Scott critically, and with more than a hint of appreciation. "Darling, I tell you now...if you and Rogue take to the training as we think you will...there won't be a team alive who could stand up to the pair of you."

**Muir Island, Excalibur Wing, SIM(ulation) Room, 4 days later, 11am -**

"I said to focus the blast as much as possible, not to blast its head off!" Brian grumbled, setting up another target for Scott.

"Sorry," Scott apologized sincerely. "I've not had to control my power to this degree before. It's a lot harder than I thought it would be."

"May I try something?" Betsy asked, stepping forward from the wall where she had been observing Scott as he tried to focus his blasts into a very concentrated beam.

"Like what?" Scott questioned.

"Well, I think I might be able to aid you through use of my telepathy," Betsy admitted, glancing at Brian who nodded.

"Or he could just use this," a voice said from the doorway, its accent distinctly British in origin.

"Bill," Brian acknowledged, then his gaze fell to what was in the younger man's hands. "Ah, its ready."

"And I think I did even better than you asked," Bill replied as he handed the item to Scott, whose entire face lit up when he saw what it was.

After multiple attempts, it seemed that Bill had finally managed to create the new visor for Scott's uniform, and as he said, improved upon it. Instead of the red Scott had been expecting, since it was made of ruby quartz, the visor was very nearly clear. Handing the visor to Brian for a moment, Scott accepted the other item Bill had been carrying, a protective helmet, similar to those motorcyclists wore, but far more streamlined. Once it the helmet was snapped into place, he removed his secondary visor that Moira had made him and closed his eyes while Bill fitted the new one to the helmet.

"That should do it," Bill said, and stepped clear of Scott's line of sight. "Try opening your eyes. We're all out of the way."

Slowly, Scott opened his eyes, just a crack at first, but when he heard no tell-tale sounds of something being blasted, opened them the rest of the way. For a moment, the world was still red, probably a by-product of his powers, but then something changed. The level of red infecting everything around him dropped, rather like changing the color settings on a TV, and for the first time in years, he saw hints of real color outside of his dreams. What had been a world completely shaded in red was now merely tinted, turning the blues of Brian's uniform into a bluish purple, and the purple of Betsy's hair into a reddish purple instead of the vibrant shade it really was.

"Bill..." Scott began, managing somehow to keep his tone level, though his expression said clearly how much this meant to him. "You...Thanks."

Patting him Scott on the back, Bill smiled. "I actually had a version ready three days ago, but while I was putting some extra details into it, Rogue showed up with Tessa. It was their idea to try and make it clear...and Tessa had a pretty good idea how to do so. I just did the grunt work." His hazel eyes lit up, and his smile widened. "Oh! And I added another feature too, since it being clear might not always be what you want or need..." Reaching out, he touched a button on the side of the visor, and suddenly the exterior went pitch black, while to Scott it was rather like what he thought others would see when they put on dark tinted sunglasses. "Cool, right?"

Brian seemed impressed and nodded at Bill. "I think you outdid yourself this time. It certainly screams black ops with the visor blacked out."

"And as requested, it can operate kind of like Tessa's sunglasses, but I'll show you how to make use of that later. Oh, and this one," He grabbed Scott's hand and placed it over a button, one of four on the right side of the visor, "is the button to change it between the black and the clear. The rest have other functions, but I know how Brian gets when I take too long showing off my gadgets." The last was said with a wry grin, and Bill saluted the Excalibur leader in an almost mocking fashion. "So I'll leave you all to it. Oh! And don't forget, this one doesn't operate like the ones you've used before." With that parting comment, Bill exited the SIM room, leaving an amused trio in his wake.

"One of these days," Brian mumbled, smirking because of the techno-genus' antics.

Noting that Scott had stayed quiet since receiving the visor, aside from his quick thank you to Bill, Betsy focused on the former leader of the X-men. "Are you okay, luv?" she asked, reaching out to touch him gently on the arm.

Scott nodded slowly, his vague amusement from Bill fading fast, replaced with a renewed sense of hope. "Yeah," he murmured, unaware of the way his lips had quirked into a hint of a smile. Forcing his thoughts to refocus, he turned to the twins, and the smile became a full fledged grin the likes of which he hadn't sported since before loosing his parents. "If you guys can do this," he gestured to the visor, "with the technology and intelligence you have, then I have only one thing to say..."

Brian and Betsy looked at him, amused and curious. "What's that?" Brian asked.

"When do I get to see the jet?"

Both twins burst into laughter, with Brian laughing so hard he had to grab at his stomach. When he was able to breath again, Brian smirked at Scott. "You have some flight experience right?"

"Yeah," Scott said. "Out of all of the students at the mansion, I had the most time logged flying the Blackbird or Velocity."

Nodding absently, Brian seemed to be thinking about something for a moment before he gave Scott a considering look. "We actually have some smaller jets, as well as the two bigger ones like the X-men's Blackbird. With what Tessa told me about how your brain works, you'd probably be an amazing fighter pilot as well, if the need was ever there."

"I'm not so sure I'd want to do that," Scott admitted, but smiled anyhow. "I love flying jets and that, but I'd rather do my fighting on the ground."

"Just a thought," Brian replied. "But for now, let's get back to your training."

"Sounds good," Scott said, even as he twitched his hands.

The twins moved off to the side of the room where a protective wall was set up, along with a control panel for times when a full SIM was not in progress. Once they were in place, Brian told Scott to try again with the same exercise as before; focus the power of his blasts into a concentrated beam, and see how small he could make it.

"Here goes nothing," Scott murmured, and had a hand halfway to his visor when Betsy corrected him.

"That's not your primary way to fire anymore, Scott," she said gently, knowing this would be the change he would have the hardest time with in going from the old style visors to this new one.

Unlike his visor from the Professor, or even the streamlined version Tech had whipped up for him only three days after he officially moved to the island, this visor did not require him to touch it to fire his blasts. Sean, after seeing Scott doing some target practice one day, had pointed out that Scott's hand movements to the visor were a dead give away of what he was about to do. So, as they had done for Rogue to bypass anything that might be used as a way to predict when she would use her powers, the senior Excalibur members had put their heads together and come up with a new firing method for Scott. Which was how his new uniform had a series of sensors running through the fabric of the arms and hands, which connected his visors controls to four separate pressure points. Two of the points were on his hands, allowing him to fire while his hand was in a fist, while the third and forth points were on the tips of his middle finger and thumb to allow him to use his blasts while also using most of the weapons he was being trained with. There were still firing mechanisms on either side of the visor, but those were set to allow his blasts on a much wider scale, as opposed to the sensors in the hands which would hopefully allow for a beam no wider than that made by a very fine laser f it worked as intended. Scott still didn't understand exactly how they had managed to make sure he wouldn't fire when he didn't intend to if he was punching someone for example, but he trusted that they knew what they were doing.

With Betsy's reminder fresh in his mind, Scott nodded slowly, and curled his hand into a loose fist. His fingers found the sensors, and while praying this worked, applied a bit of pressure. The world went red again, as it used to be, for not even a second, and when it faded, he was surprised to see a hole roughly the size of a softball in the target. Turning, he looked at Brian who seemed pleased. "Can I try again?" he asked.

"Of course," Brian said, setting up three targets this time, each with a bulls-eye mark to show Scott where to aim. "For now, focus on keeping the beams that size. See how you manage with consistency."

"Okay," Scott agreed, and took his time with each target, managing to keep the blast the same for two of the three, but the third was a bit larger by maybe half an inch in diameter.

There was no praise when he finished, and instead, three new targets popped up. Taking his cue, Scott fired again, this time a little faster than before. Again two of the three were the same, but this time, the third hole was smaller by a noticeable amount. Five targets popped up this time, and Scott's ratio seemed to hold steady, with three of the five the same and a forth fairly close. Since there was no clock in the SIM room, Scott had no way of telling how long he fired at targets, his speed getting faster with every second or third set of targets. By the time Brian had nine targets up at once, Scott was hitting each one with a blast that was very nearly identical. When there were twelve targets up, Brian called for a speed test, and within moments, all twelve targets sported holes that were more the size of a small grapefruit than that of a softball.

As he relaxed his hand and looked at the targets, it was harder to say who was more surprised at his speed, Scott himself, or the twins. Slowly, Scott turned to face them, disbelief clear in his expression. Yes, he had always been fairly quick and accurate with his blasts before, but this new visor...Never before had he even imagined he could exert such control over the speed, accuracy and size of his blasts.

"I think we'll call it a day," Brian said slowly, his eyes flicking between the targets and Scott. You could all but hear his brain whirring as he considered new ways to fine tune the test they had just completed., further advancing Scott's powers.

Betsy smiled at her brother's obvious distraction. "I'll see you in the gym at two," she reminded Scott.

Nodding, Scott picked up his extra visor from where it had been set in the protected area, then bid the twins goodbye. After a quick shower and changing into some normal clothes, Scott headed over to the main house to get some lunch. Since lunch was always a do it yourself meal, he settled for re-heating some of the lasagne that Lacey and Rogue had made the night before, and had just pulled it out of the microwave when he sensed more than saw Rogue enter the kitchen. Until it had been brought up, Scott had never before thought about how he just seemed to know where things were in relation to him. Tessa still intended to train him in use of the ability in combat at some point, but even in his day to day living, he was starting to notice it more and more. The two had a quick lunch together at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, then headed into one of the living rooms to relax until time to head back over for more training.

Settling on the couch, Scott watched as Rogue approached him, and found himself surprised when she settled in his lap instead of beside him. She gave him a small, shy smile, and leaned in, kissing him.

"Mm...You're in a good mood," Scott commented, raising an eyebrow at her as he smiled.

Smiling, she lowered the scarf she had placed between their lips, letting it fall back around her neck where she had it tied loosely. Slipping her arms around his neck, she tilted her head. "Bill said he gave ya your new visor today...how did it go?"

Reminded of the fact that she had been the one who had the idea to make it clear (Tessa may have known how to do so, but he had no doubt the core idea had come from Rogue), he smiled and lifted the scarf so he could kiss her again. "Amazing. I just wish it didn't rely on the helmet to be worn...I'd love to be able to see like that all of the time."

A mischievous look passed over Rogue's face, and the smile became a grin. "What if you could?" she asked.

Startled, he stared at her. "What?"

"Ah asked him t' see if he could do somethin' for when ya weren't in uniform," she admitted, suddenly shy.

"Oh sweetheart," he sighed with a trace of amusement, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Let me guess...he did it?"

Pulling back, she nodded. Slipping something from her back pocket, she looked at him. "Close ya eyes," she requested, and he did.

He could feel her slide off the normal ruby quartz sunglasses he had worn for years, then for a moment, the scarf she wore was placed over his eyes while she placed a kiss to each one, making him smile softly. When the scarf was removed, she slid what he assumed were the new glasses onto his face. The frames felt smooth and cool against his skin, and once she had adjusted them to sit properly, it was almost as if there was nothing there, they were so light. Her weight lifted from his lap, and he could tell she had moved to stand in front of him.

"Look at meh, sugah."

As soon as she spoke, Scott opened his eyes again, and was greeted by the same sensation as before, with the world fading from shades of red to the red tint. Immediately he focused on Rogue, and felt his breath catch in his throat. He had always found her beautiful, even when all he saw was in shades of red. Now...he reached for her, pulling her back into his lap and hugging her tightly. When he finally loosened his hold on her, he grabbed the ends of her scarf and wrapped it over his hands. Cupping her face, he took time to study every detail, from the gray rimmed green eyes to the auburn hair with its white bangs, not realizing she was staring back at him just as hard.

With the ruby quartz made clear, you could see the flare of his powers pulsing against the lenses. But as Rogue watched, in between the pulses, she could see his eyes while they were open for the first time. She had not been there when Leech canceled out the X-men's powers, and thus had missed out on the chance to see Scott with 'normal' eyes. Not that she cared too much, really. Seeing him now, the eyes she knew from his own memories were brown a burning, pulsing red was just fine by her. All because she could see that some of that burning his eyes were doing was for her...for the fact that he was finally getting to see her in color. She hadn't done this just for him to see her though, and with a laugh she pulled away from him, easily sliding into standing in front of him again. Grabbing his hands, Rogue pulled him off of the couch as well. His own laughter echoed in her ears as she all but dragged him to a stained glass door he had not explored yet.

When she pushed open the door and pulled him through it, for a moment Scott thought he had gone blind. Sometime since that morning, the clouds and rain that were typical of September in Scotland had cleared, leaving a brilliant world for Scott's eyes to see. The door, as it turned out, had led to a small flower garden that still had some late blooms in full color. Rogue watched as a dazed Scott slowly turned in a circle, taking in everything, savoring it as though at any moment it might be taken away. His eyes fell to her again as he completed his circle, and the sheer joy in his expression was worth the world to her. He had given her hope, and a love she had never thought she'd get to have so long as real touch was denied her. To give him back a world full of color? It was the least she could do.

Laughing, Scott grabbed her and lifted her effortlessly, spinning her around. When she squealed in laughter, and her eyes became fully green, he stopped, lowering her back to her feet gently. Rogue opened her mouth to speak, curious to why he had stopped, but found herself silenced when the scarf was lifted over her lips. The first kiss was slow...sweet, and for the first time since she had left Bayville, followed by dozens more. In between kisses, words of praise fell from his lips...simple, but ever so heartfelt praise for the beauty she had given him, for the beauty she was. Her first tears startled him, until he realized she was smiling against his lips, her heart full to bursting from his words. From that moment, she would never again wonder if he might hold some ill feelings towards her for the loss of their child. All because Scott's eyes echoed everything his lips told her...she was beautiful, and she was his everything.

**Muir Island, Excalibur Wing, Weapons Lock-up / Firing Range, 3 days later, 3:30pm -**

"He's progressing quickly," Brian observed as he watched Scott work his way through a series of targets as they popped up in random succession. Four popped at once, and to the surprise of both Brian and Lucas, Scott managed to make the beam of the plasma gun ricochet between them, sending all four back down. "Very quickly..."

Lucas simply nodded, a smirk on his lips. "He's a natural with firearms. If he wanted to, he could be a sniper, accurate as he is."

Brian considered this for a minute, then shook his head. "I don't think he'd want to be, unless the objective was to wound. Both he and Rogue seem to have fully embraced Xavier's ideal of not killing, no matter the circumstances."

Watching as Scott switched between targets quickly, managing to take aim and fire with perfect accuracy in just a fraction of a second, Lucas frowned. "It may be an ideal that gets them killed," he admitted. "I admire the fact that they know death should be a last resort, but to not even consider it an option?" Again, Scott managed a 'banked shot,' sending 6 targets down at once this time, making Lucas raise an eyebrow. Turning to look at Brian, he asked, "Do you think he could do that with his own blasts?"

"He might be able to," Brian acknowledged. "I'll run it by Tessa tonight, see what she thinks." He paused, then glanced at Lucas. "And I know what you mean. I'd hate to see something happen to them too."

"I'm going to start him on something new tomorrow. Maybe one of the larger guns."

"Understandable. If he gets any better at that plasma gun he's going to be more scary than you."

Lucas shot Brian a dry look. "I'd be far more afraid of Raven with a handgun than myself. However, give me something more along the lines of the larger plasma gun, then it is me you should fear."

"Really? Then how scary is the guy with more power than a bazooka behind each eye?" Scott asked, surprising both men, who hadn't noticed him stop firing.

Brian began to laugh, while Lucas cracked a smile. The two men shared a look, then looked back at Scott. "Okay, you win."

**Muir Island, Excalibur Wing, SIM(ulation) Room, Next Day, 1:00pm -**

"So wait...you really think I can do that with my blasts?" Scott asked, looking at Brian and Tessa who had just explained their idea, which was based on his ability to make the plasma gun blast ricochet the day before.

"It is possible," Tessa replied, her blue eyes focused on him. "Your optic blasts are energy, not heat based, meaning they should reflect from certain surfaces quite well. Between that, and your spatial sense, I think you'll find it easier than you currently believe it to be."

"If you say so," Scott said, knowing better than to doubt what Tessa said was possible. "Is that what we're trying today?"

"Yes," Brian told him. "I'm going to set up a series of SIMs, starting with obviously reflective material, and we'll work from there."

"Okay," Scott said with a nod. Looking at Tessa, he smirked. "I guess you're here to help if my geometry is off?"

Tessa gave a hint of a smile. "Something like that. I'll be observing to see if we need to adjust anything, be it with you, your visor, or otherwise."

"Then lets get started," Scott said, rolling his shoulders to work out any kinks from his earlier training with Betsy.

Pleased to see Scott still so eager to advance in his training, Brian nodded. "Tessa?"

"The programs are set up and waiting to be started."

Brian and Tessa exited the room and headed up into the primary control booth to start the SIM programs, while Scott took up a position near the main doors. After a minute or two, a series of 6 mirrors appeared. They were unevenly spaced, with three on either side of him, and a target with a bulls-eye off to one side at an angle. Brian told him to fire whenever he was ready, and that the objective was to use the mirrors in any combination necessary to hit the target. Before he even had thought about what he was doing, Scott adjusted his position to his left a few steps, and fired off a beam. The red light of his blast reflected off of only two of the mirrors, then hit the target dead center, leaving a hole the size of a golf ball.

Up in the control booth, Brian looked at Tessa. "Okay...so you were right. First try."

Tessa smirked. "Of course I was right." Typing some commands into the computer, down below the room changed into a cityscape full of buildings with huge windows. She told Scott to fire when ready again, and watched in amusement as he instinctively moved to his right a few feet. He paused, then took another half a step right, only to go back left that same half a step, having realized his position had been perfect. Frowning, he turned his head a fraction of an inch, then smiled. This blast was dead on when it hit the target as well, even though it had reflected 5 times, and now Scott looked up at the control panel.

"Really? These are easy shots. Give me something else."

"As you wish," Tessa said into the microphone, then input a new series of commands into the computer system. The cityscape changed now, becoming more complex. Some surfaces were made of glass or mirror, while others were made of shiny metals, and yet others were dull, like brick or stucco.

This time, Scott did not instinctively move, and instead seemed to be considering the surfaces around him. He gave a single nod, more to himself than anything, then shifted a few feet backward and to his right. Once his primary position seemed right to him, he adjusted his head just a bit left, then fired. The beam bounced rapidly between surfaces, and Tessa's computerized brain registered 10 hits in total, before the beam finally hit the target, again a perfect shot. A part of the program alerted her to a small hole in one of the walls where the beam had hit right at the edge of where glass and brick met, but the hole was barely a millimeter wide, meaning in the real world it would likely be overlooked. It was the only hint of an error, but even so, he had it the target dead on, meaning the shot could be considered a success.

For another half hour, Tessa supplied Scott with increasingly difficult shots on various 'locations', and it wasn't until he was required to hit more than a dozen surfaces to bounce the beam that he began to falter in his accuracy. Through her telepathy, Tessa could tell it was simply a matter of not being used to having to calculate that many angles at once rather than a pure inability to do so. With training, she had a feeling that number of surfaces would only increase, but then it would be a matter of the beam retaining enough strength to bounce so much. Already, they had found that after bouncing 16 times, the beam started to loose power, but if he was to put any more into the initial blast, he risked shattering whatever surface he intended to bounce the beam from.

Noting the time, Brian leaned forward, engaging the microphone. "I think that should do us for today. We'll be down in a minute."

Scott nodded, making sure he was in a safe spot as the room rematerialized around him, the latest SIM powering down. Unfastening his helmet, he removed it and held it under one arm as he took a moment to rub at his eyes. All of the recent work on his powers had left him with more frequent headaches and a constant tired feeling behind his eyes; he had been reassured by Moira and Tessa that the feeling would pass as he got used to using his powers so much, but none the less he was tired of having to down aspirin every night. Hearing the sound of the metal doors from the control booth opening, he pulled his new sunglasses from the pocket on his right leg and slid them on to greet his trainers. "So...was that what you were expecting?"

Brian laughed, shaking his head. "Well, it was what Tessa expected. I wasn't so sure."

Scott smirked. "I've been here just over a month and even I know better than to doubt Tessa!"

Tessa gave what passed for a smile with her, looking at Scott. "You did quite well today. And with the information I gathered, we can adjust the training to further advance your ability."

"You think I could do even better?" Scott asked. With the X-men, his training had been so focused on his leadership ability, or his overall combat skill. All of this training that allowed him to use his powers in a safe environment, to refine his skill when the gift he had been born with was still a novelty. While he had used his powers in the Danger Room at the mansion, it had always been his visor that did all of the controlling, not him. To be encouraged to try and use his own eyelids behind the visor to achieve even greater control, as the twins had done in a SIM the day before, was something no one else (even him) had thought of.

"You make great improvement with every session," Tessa said, her tone not really one of compliment, but Scott knew it was meant as such anyway. "It stands to reason you will continue to do so. And once we have identified the reason behind your lack of control of the beams, and helped you achieve that control, I would wager you would improve again."

"Thanks," Scott told her, then glanced at Brian. "So is that all?"

"Got another headache?" Brian asked, having been made aware of the problem as soon as Betsy had found out.

"Yeah..."

"He also has something to talk about with Bill," Tessa added, a touch of a smirk on her lips.

Scott frowned at her for a moment. "Am I projecting?"

"No...I picked up on it while I was monitoring you during the session."

Relieved, Scott smiled. "Oh, okay."

"What do you need to talk to Bill about?"

"Just something I thought of...wanted to see if he could make it a reality."

Brian snorted in amusement. "I think Bill can turn just about anything into reality."

Glancing at Tessa, Scott raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you have any thoughts on how he can do it?"

"I might," the dark haired telepath admitted. "You want me to speak to him with you." It was a statement not a question.

"Yeah." Scott smirked. "If you don't mind, that is?"

"No, I don't mind," Tessa confirmed, her blue eyes showing more of a smile than her lips. "It's a good idea, what you want to do."

"Well, I'll leave you guys to it then. See you at dinner," Brian told them, smiling.

**A/N: **Okay, I am beyond sorry for the delay in posting. on top of the stuff in the AN at the beginning of the chapter, My laptop I do ALL of my writing on had a huge crash due to the power supply going bad, (didn't loose it all, thank god) and had to go in to the shop for far too long because of course there were other issues (virus & some bad RAM). Then I get it back, and Real Life rears its ugly head again. But anyway...I already have next chapter mapped out in my head, and hope to get it written soon. Thank you ahead of time to anyone who reads and reviews this chapter, and to all who have done so thus far! Again, sorry for delays!


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